In a stark illustration of the planet’s declining biodiversity, the World Wildlife Fund has reported a 73 percent drop in the average size of wildlife populations worldwide over the past five decades.

The alarming statistic is drawn from the Living Planet Index, which tracks nearly 35,000 animal populations across approximately 5,500 species, excluding insects and other invertebrates.

The WWF’s comprehensive analysis shows that between 1970 and 2020, terrestrial populations have contracted by 69 percent on average, while marine life has diminished by 56 percent. The most severe losses were observed in freshwater species, which have plummeted by an average of 85 percent, culminating in the overall decline of 73 percent — an increase of four points since 2018.

WWF’s chief scientist, Rebecca Shaw, expressed grave concerns about the findings, telling the Washington Post, “It really does indicate to us that the fabric of nature is unraveling.”

Regionally, the most drastic reductions occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, where wildlife populations have been decimated by an average of 95 percent. In contrast, Europe and North America experienced less severe declines, with populations falling by just over a third. This smaller decreases are partly attributed to significant reductions in these regions prior to 1970.

While the figures present a dire picture, scientists have voiced concerns over potential misinterpretations, as reported by the New York Times. The methodology used, though not flawed by malice or incompetence, attempts to distill the complex reality of wildlife decline into a singular metric. This approach can sometimes lead to misleading conclusions due to its reliance on averages. For instance, fluctuations in smaller populations can disproportionately affect the overall figures.