Posted on 10/01/2014 7:07:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The number of wild animals on Earth has halved in the past 40 years, according to a new analysis. Creatures across land, rivers and the seas are being decimated as humans kill them for food in unsustainable numbers, while polluting or destroying their habitats, the research by scientists at WWF and the Zoological Society of London found.
“If half the animals died in London zoo next week it would be front page news,” said Professor Ken Norris, ZSL’s director of science. “But that is happening in the great outdoors. This damage is not inevitable but a consequence of the way we choose to live.” He said nature, which provides food and clean water and air, was essential for human wellbeing.
“We have lost one half of the animal population and knowing this is driven by human consumption, this is clearly a call to arms and we must act now,” said Mike Barratt, director of science and policy at WWF. He said more of the Earth must be protected from development and deforestation, while food and energy had to be produced sustainably.
The steep decline of animal, fish and bird numbers was calculated by analysing 10,000 different populations, covering 3,000 species in total. This data was then, for the first time, used to create a representative “Living Planet Index” (LPI), reflecting the state of all 45,000 known vertebrates.
“We have all heard of the FTSE 100 index, but we have missed the ultimate indicator, the falling trend of species and ecosystems in the world,” said Professor Jonathan Baillie, ZSL’s director of conservation. “If we get [our response] right, we will have a safe and sustainable way of life for the future,” he said.
If not, he added, the overuse of resources would ultimately lead to conflicts.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
They all moved to Obama’s old “community organizer” district in Chicago.
Say, WWF, where does your food come from?
Science deniers.
The place where I live used to be loaded with cottontails, jack rabbits and Gamble’s quail. The coyotes killed them all off. They’re all gone. Lots of coyotes though.
Well THANK GOD. About damned time someone started doing something about this out-of-control animal situation. Parasite-infested, mangy, disagreeable fleabags.
Say, WWF, you want fish and wildlife to return? Pressure your left-wing fellow travelers in California to turn the water back on in the central valley and start building more dams.
The lament about lost wild life is led by “liberals” who live in big cities and never have to deal with wild life and would not know how to do so if that had to. Except on their high-end, well controlled wild life vacation experiences.
Folks in Manhattan and Santa Monica don’t have to worry about tigers, villagers in India do. Or did.
LOL. Love that!
That is nothing.. I lost 95% of my wild life when the bar down the street closed!
There hasn’t really been a decline. The “missing” animals just aren’t where they’re looking.
Based on what I see on a daily basis, I’m guessing most of the MIA deer, raccoons, squirrels and skunks are currently hiding out in my neighborhood ...
If it’s half, it’s not “decimated” journo-genius.
BS. I wish that applied to the damn chipmunks digging up my yard.
The bigger problem is that Washington DC has lost it’s fear of man....
Tell that to the coyotes, rabbits, hawks, snakes, lizards and other assorted fauna that seems to thrive in developed areas of the city where I live. Nature finds a way, it always does.
And they were delicious
And of course the U.S. will be made to pay up for the rest of the World’s lack of wildlife resource conservation and management.
oH!...and 90% of the oceans big fish are gone too.
After that outright lie was published it was recanted by one of the authors.
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