@eeb_europe This is perhaps the saddest song ever. In 1987, the last male kauai o´o bird desperatly awaited a response from a female that would never come. In less than 50 years, global wildlife populations have fallen by an average of 69%, according to WWF and ZSL’s Living Planet Report, which tracked over 32,000 populations of 5,000+ species from 1970 to 2018. The steepest losses occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (–94%), driven largely by Amazon deforestation. Africa saw a 66% decline, Asia and the Pacific 55%, and Europe/Central Asia 18%. Scientists warn this trend signals a sixth mass extinction, fuelled by habitat destruction, agricultural expansion, pollution, and climate change. The decline is not inevitable. Evidence shows that protecting habitats, restoring ecosystems, and reducing human pressures can allow populations to recover. But reversing these losses requires systemic changes in how we use land and resources. #climatechange #extinct #birdwatching ♬ original sound - Megspam