A catastrophic 73 percent decline has been spotted in the average size of monitored wildlife populations in 50 years from 1970 to 2020, said a World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) report released on Thursday.
According to the Living Planet Report 2024, which runs statistical analysis of more than 5,000 species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and fish, populations of various wildlife are decreasing sharply from elephants in tropical forests to hawksbill turtles off the Great Barrier Reef.
The steepest declines in monitored wildlife populations were recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, by 95, 76 and 60 percent respectively.
Habitat loss and degradation, driven primarily by the human food system, is the most reported threat to wildlife populations around the world, followed by over-exploitation, invasive species, disease, climate change and pollution.
Mike Barrett, the report's lead author and WWF chief scientific adviser, said that the human beings, particularly through the way of producing and consuming food, are increasingly damaging natural habitat.
The report warns that the reducing natural resources and climate change are driving the world to an irreversible tipping points.
The catastrophic consequences of losing some of the most precious ecosystems around the world, such as the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs, would be felt by people and nature around the world.
Some populations have stabilized or increased due to effective conservation efforts over the past few years. However isolated successes are not enough, the report noted.
Wildlife population plummets 73 percent in 50 years: WWF report
Bilateral relations between China and Seychelles are entering a new phase of expansion, driven by rising trade volumes and growing collaboration in private sector, as well as emerging cooperation in the blue economy and digital innovation.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng is paying a visit to Seychelles and two other African countries of Kenya and South Africa from March 22 to 30.
The year of 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Seychelles.
In 1976, Seychelles became a sovereign nation. China was among the first nations to officially recognize the archipelago country's independence from British rule, marking the beginning of a long friendship that has later transformed the small island state in the Indian Ocean.
"This 50th anniversary will allow us to take stock of what we have achieved in different fields, education, health, infrastructure, economy, culture, environment and other areas," Vincent Meriton, former vice president of Seychelles, said in an interview via video link.
In 2024, at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the relations between the two countries hit a new peak as the ties were officially elevated to a strategic partnership.
Available data showed that bilateral trade between the two countries has maintained a strong momentum, reaching 84 million U.S. dollars in 2024. China mainly exports high-tech products such as smart phones, high-end camera systems, and mechanical and electric products, among others. Seychelles primarily exports seafood.
The future development of the bilateral ties is now turning offshore as both nations are looking toward blue economy. They are working together on sustainable fisheries and protection for the very ocean that feeds Seychelles.
Chinese vice president's visit to Seychelles to further enhance bilateral ties
