The latest Living Planet Report, which tracks population changes in over 5,000 vertebrate species, reveals a 73% decline between 1970 and 2020.

Notably, the mountain gorilla is the only great ape not in steep decline, emphasizing the need for urgent conservation of gorillas and other great apes.

The report from WWF highlights that while changes in nature seem gradual, they can lead to sudden, irreversible tipping points, often catastrophic for both people and nature. Habitat loss is the biggest threat, followed by overexploitation, invasive species, disease, climate change, and pollution.

Freshwater populations have declined the most, by 85%, with terrestrial populations down 69%, and marine populations by 56%. Latin America and the Caribbean saw the steepest regional decline at 95%, followed by Africa at 76%, and Asia and the Pacific at 60%.

The report stresses the need for large-scale actions to protect nature, including stronger conservation and a transformation of our food, energy, and finance systems.

Mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains, shared by Rwanda, DR Congo, and Uganda, have grown 3% annually between 2010 and 2016 due to conservation efforts like protected area management, community engagement, and veterinary care.

Despite this success, the mountain gorilla remains highly dependent on conservation efforts, with about 1,000 individuals left as of October 2022.