Global Assessment of forest Biodiversity by WWF

Global Assessment of forest Biodiversity by WWF
Question: Recently, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) published its report on Global assessment of forest Biodiversity; According to this report what was the percentage of forest wildlife populations on an average has declined since 1970?
(a) 23%
(b) 45%
(c) 53%
(d) 15%
Answer: (c)
Related facts
  • On 13 August, 2019; World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) published its report on Global assessment of forest Biodiversity.
  • Zoological Society of London (ZSL) & The UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) co-led the analysis and modeling for this report.
  • The report, which has been published under the title Below the Canopy: Plotting Global Trends in Forest Wildlife Populations, is the first ever global assessment of forest diversity.
  • According to this report the number of forest wildlife populations has declined on average by 53% since 1970 due to Habitat loss and degradation, over exploitation and Climate change.
  • The report was based on Forest Specialist Index, which was developed based on the method for the Living Planet Index (LPI), an indicator of global biodiversity.
  • Diferrent species numbering around of 455 including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians were monitored in this report.
  • It is stated in the report that during 1970 to 2014 species declined at an annual rate of 1.7 %, on average and this resulted that only 268 species were available.
  • In a bid to conserve nature, world leaders have agreed to launch a New Deal for Nature and People in 2020 in China.

Indications from the report:

  • 60 % of threats accounted from Habitat loss.
  • 40 out of 112 forest-dwelling primate populations threatened due to over exploitation.
  • 43% amphibian creatures, 37 % of reptiles and 21 % of birds were threatened due to Climate change.
  • It has also been indicated by the report that major decline is among mammals, reptiles, and amphibians (particularly from the tropical forests), it was less among birds, especially from temperate forests.

Links:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/forests/more-than-half-of-forest-wildlife-declined-since-1970-wwf-66164