How healthy are the world’s wild animals? Every two years, the conservation group WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) prepare a kind of report card to answer this question. It is called the Living Planet Report. The 2026 report came out on 8 October.
What did the report find?
Scientists studied thousands of animal populations, covering 5,790 species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. They found that, on average, these populations shrank by 73% between 1970 and 2022. Animals living in rivers and lakes saw the biggest fall, about 85%.
The main reasons are the loss of animals’ natural homes (habitats), too much hunting and fishing, and climate change.
The good news
The report also shows that some animals are making a comeback, such as tigers, green sea turtles and elephants in southern Africa.
India has a lot to smile about. India’s 2022 tiger count found about 3,682 tigers. That is more than two out of every three wild tigers in the world! The number of Asiatic lions in India also grew, from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025.
These success stories show that protecting animals and their homes can make a real difference.
Think about it: What is one thing your family or school could do to help the birds and animals that live near you?