Wildlife populations 'plummeting'

[YankeyMCC]

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Between a quarter and a third of the world's wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London.

Populations of land-based species fell by 25%, marine by 28% and freshwater by 29%, it says.

Humans are wiping out about 1% of all other species every year, and one of the "great extinction episodes" in the Earth's history is under way, it says.

Pollution, farming and urban expansion, over-fishing and hunting are blamed.
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The WWF said that over the next 30 years, climate change was also expected to become a significant threat to species.

Colin Butfield, head of campaigns at WWF UK, said: "Biodiversity underpins the health of the planet and has a direct impact on all our lives, so it is alarming that despite an increased awareness of environmental issues we continue to see a downward trend."

The charity also warned that a failure to stop biodiversity loss would have a direct impact on humans.

Director general James Leape said: "Reduced biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease and where water is in irregular or short supply.

"No-one can escape the impact of biodiversity loss because reduced global diversity translates quite clearly into fewer new medicines, greater vulnerability to natural disasters and greater effects from global warming."
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7403989.stm

Not surprising news, at least for those who follow the threats to the ecology, but it deserves continued and persistent attention reports like this provide.