What does the 73% wildlife decline really mean?
Our World in Data explains the Living Planet Index's headline number, checked claim by claim.
29
claims in 22 statements
- 13 confirmed
- 16 need review
Published by the Pikaan team. This review is read-only, and reading it uses no credits.
Claims and sources
Every claim in the source, in order. The summary under each claim is written by AI from its sources; open the sources to check it.
Claim 1 of 29Confirmed
Factual claim · Statement 1 of 22 · 95% confidence
AI summary
WWF press releases and the Living Planet Index website dated 8 October 2026 announce the publication of the Living Planet Report 2026 and its Living Planet Index, and the Our World in Data article carrying this sentence was posted the same day (8 October 2026). So the report had indeed just been published when the sentence was written.
Saved source links4livingplanetindex.org · wwf.org.uk · ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 2 of 22 · 95% confidence
AI summary
WWF's 2024 Living Planet Report states it details an average 73% decline in wildlife populations since 1970, and Our World in Data's article on the 2024 Living Planet Index explicitly identifies that same figure as the headline. The 2026 report and other coverage repeat the same 73% headline, confirming the figure.
Saved source links3ourworldindata.org · worldwildlife.org · wwf.ca
Factual claim · Statement 3 of 22 · 96% confidence
AI summary
The Living Planet Index's own site states the global LPI in the Living Planet Report 2026 shows a subset of 35,803 populations of 5,790 species declined by an average 73% in abundance between 1970 and 2022, and WWF's 2026 press release gives the same 73% figure with the 1970-2022 window. Independent coverage (Japan Times, Scripps News) confirms the 73% average decline over 1970 to 2022 and clarifies it is an average proportional change in monitored populations, not a headcount of animals lost.
Saved source links3livingplanetindex.org · wwf.org.uk · japantimes.co.jp
- The Living Planet Index (LPI) is a measure of the state of global ...www.livingplanetindex.org(opens in a new tab)
- www.wwf.org.uk › living-planet-report-2026WWF Living Planet Report 2026 Press Release | WWFwww.wwf.org.uk(opens in a new tab)
- Populations of wild species fell by an average of 73% from ...www.japantimes.co.jp(opens in a new tab)
Factual claim · Statement 4 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index coverage pages state the index only includes vertebrate populations, which they list as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. The Living Planet Index's own site likewise describes its database as covering mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian species.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Factual claim
Statement 4 of 22
The Living Planet Index update covers mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
AI summary
The Living Planet Index's own 2024 Technical Supplement states the dataset does not include invertebrates or plants, and Our World in Data's biodiversity and FAQ pages confirm the LPI covers only vertebrate species (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians), excluding insects, corals, fungi and plants. A 2023 peer-reviewed review likewise notes invertebrates and plants have not been included in the Living Planet Database.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links2ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 5 of 22
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
No source links were saved with this assessment. Treat this answer as limited until it is checked again.
Sources unavailable
No source links were published for this claim.
Factual claim · 96% confidence
Statement 5 of 22
There are 35,803 wildlife populations studied in the LPI.
Why this answer
The 2026 Living Planet Index, produced by ZSL and published with WWF, reports an average 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations based on 35,803 population trends. Our World in Data likewise describes the new LPI as an average 73% decline in studied populations; the metric is an average proportional change, not the share of populations declining or the number of animals lost.
Factual claim · Statement 6 of 22 · 95% confidence
AI summary
Our World in Data's 2024 Living Planet Index explainer states that across the whole dataset exactly 50% of populations were in decline, 43% increasing, and 7% stable, so "around half in decline" is accurate. The 2026 Living Planet Index coverage and WWF/ZSL reporting likewise say around half of the roughly 36,000 studied populations declined while the other half were stable or increasing.
Saved source links3archive.ourworldindata.org · ourworldindata.org · lbc.co.uk
- The 2024 Living Planet Index reports a 73% average decline in wildlife populations — what’s changed since the last report?archive.ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- The new Living Planet Index reports a 73% average ...ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- ‘Grounds for hope’ for nature even as wildlife populations fall by 73% since 1970www.lbc.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
Factual claim · 95% confidence
Statement 6 of 22
Around half of the studied populations were in decline.
AI summary
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index analysis states that across the dataset exactly 50% of populations were in decline, 43% increasing and 7% stable, meaning about half were increasing or stable. Other independent reports of the 2026 Living Planet Index (Mother Jones, LBC, Free Malaysia Today) likewise note that roughly half the studied populations were stable or increasing.
Saved source links4archive.ourworldindata.org · ourworldindata.org · lbc.co.uk
- The 2024 Living Planet Index reports a 73% average decline in wildlife populations — what’s changed since the last report?archive.ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- Latest Articlesourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- ‘Grounds for hope’ for nature even as wildlife populations fall by 73% since 1970www.lbc.co.uk(opens in a new tab)
- The new Living Planet Index reports a 73% average ...ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
Factual claim · Statement 7 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data's guide to the Living Planet Index states directly that 'researchers collect data on the change in wildlife numbers across tens of thousands of populations' and then take the geometric mean of the rate of change across those populations to get the final LPI number. Independent LPI documentation confirms the same: the index aggregates population-change time series from tens of thousands of wildlife populations (34,836 in the 2024 report, almost 36,000 in the 2026 report).
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Factual claim · Statement 8 of 22
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
No source links were saved with this assessment. Treat this answer as limited until it is checked again.
Sources unavailable
No source links were published for this claim.
Factual claim · Statement 9 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data's guide to the Living Planet Index states that while the data is measured relative to 1970, very few populations have data stretching back that far, and that 'Many populations only have data for much shorter and sparser timelines.' This directly matches the claim about the LPI's underlying population data.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links1archive.ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 10 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index methodology guide states that researchers collect data on changes in wildlife numbers across tens of thousands of populations and that, for every population, the change in numbers over time is calculated to give a rate of change. This matches the claim's description of the index's per-population calculation, and standard ecological and demographic references likewise describe population change over time as yielding a rate of change. The description is a methodological statement from the index's own producer rather than an external verification of a real-world outcome.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links1ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 11 of 22 · 87% confidence
AI summary
Our World in Data's LPI explainer states directly that to get the final LPI number researchers take the geometric mean of the rate of change across the populations, and independent technical sources (the peer-reviewed Past, present, and future of the Living Planet Index paper and the Living Planet Index methodology guidance) confirm the aggregation uses a geometric mean of population trends. The LPI's hierarchical weighting means the geometric mean is applied to averaged species trends within species and then across them, but the core mechanism described in the claim is accurate.
Saved source links2archive.ourworldindata.org · nature.com
Factual claim · Statement 12 of 22 · 96% confidence
AI summary
The 2022 Living Planet Report, which contains the 2022 global Living Planet Index, states an average 69% decline in monitored vertebrate wildlife populations since 1970, as confirmed by WWF's own reporting and the ZSL analysis behind the index. The measure is an average change in relative abundance across roughly 32,000 monitored populations (1970-2018), matching the claim's framing.
Saved source links4wwf.eu · wwf.org.hk · wwf.nl
- Devastating 69% drop in wildlife populations since 1970www.wwf.eu(opens in a new tab)
- WWF's Living Planet Report Reveals Devastating 69% ...www.wwf.org.hk(opens in a new tab)
- A DEEP DIVE INTO THE LPI 1www.wwf.nl(opens in a new tab)
- Wildlife populations face fast, ongoing declines across the world | ZSLwww.zsl.org(opens in a new tab)
Factual claim · Statement 13 of 22 · 96% confidence
AI summary
The 2024 Living Planet Report, published 10 October 2024, reported an average 73% decline in the size of monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020, as confirmed by WWF's own releases and independent coverage from Our World in Data. Our World in Data notes the headline figure of the 2024 LPI update is a 73% average decline across studied wildlife populations.
Saved source links5wwf.org.hk · ourworldindata.org · worldwildlife.org
- Catastrophic 73% decline in the average size of wildlife populations ...www.wwf.org.hk(opens in a new tab)
- The 2024 Living Planet Index reports a 73% average decline in ...ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- 2024 Living Planet Report | WWF - World Wildlife Fundwww.worldwildlife.org(opens in a new tab)
- “System in peril”: Average wildlife populations' size ...www.wwf.eu(opens in a new tab)
- WWF's Living Planet Report shows 73% declinewww.wwf.org.uk(opens in a new tab)
Factual claim · Statement 14 of 22 · 96% confidence
AI summary
The Living Planet Index's own site and reporting on the 2026 Living Planet Report both state the latest LPI shows a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022 (35,803 populations of 5,790 species). The 73% figure refers to the average proportional change in monitored populations, not a 73% drop in total animal numbers.
Saved source links2livingplanetindex.org · ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 15 of 22 · 95% confidence
AI summary
Reuters-circulated coverage and the WWF Canada release both state the Living Planet Index monitored 35,803 populations of 5,790 vertebrate species and found an average decline of 73% between 1970 and 2022. Our World in Data's Living Planet Index page likewise reports the index covers 35,803 populations and a 73% average decline.
Saved source links3english.aawsat.com · wwf.ca · ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 16 of 22
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
No source links were saved with this assessment. Treat this answer as limited until it is checked again.
Sources unavailable
No source links were published for this claim.
Factual claim
Statement 16 of 22
Since the last report, the number of populations in the LPI increased by around 1,000 (a 3% increase).
AI summary
The 2026 Living Planet Index reports 5,790 species, while the 2024 report had 5,495 species, an increase of 295 species (about 5.4%), matching the claim of about 300 species and a 5% increase.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links1livingplanetindex.org
Factual claim · Statement 17 of 22
AI summary
The search results discuss African wildlife population trends and critiques of the Living Planet Index, but none state how many populations or species from Africa were included in the 2026 LPI release or whether that number increased substantially compared with earlier releases. Without direct evidence on the dataset's composition, the claim cannot be verified.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Factual claim · Statement 18 of 22
AI summary
The claim refers to the Living Planet Index's tally of monitored wildlife populations and species, but every search result retrieved concerns human population figures for Ireland, Spain, the United States, Hong Kong, and UN world projections, none of which address the LPI dataset. Without independent evidence on the LPI's population and species counts, the figure cannot be confirmed or refuted.
No source links were saved with this assessment. Treat this answer as limited until it is checked again.
Sources unavailable
No source links were published for this claim.
Factual claim
Statement 18 of 22
The number of populations increased by 14%.
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Factual claim · Statement 19 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index guide states "Almost as many populations are increasing as decreasing" and backs it with the dataset split: 50% of studied wildlife populations were declining, 43% increasing, and 7% stable. The cited page documents the 2024 edition of the index rather than the 2026 edition named in the article being checked, so the same distribution is confirmed for the earlier dataset.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links1archive.ourworldindata.org
Factual claim · Statement 20 of 22 · 78% confidence
Why this answer
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index analysis reports that "Across the whole dataset, exactly 50% of populations were in decline; 43% were increasing; and the remaining 7% were stable," and an October 14, 2026 newsletter describing the most recent LPI dataset (35,803 populations, 73% average decline) repeats the same 50% in decline / 7% stable / 43% increasing split. Both sources agree the figure is 50%, i.e. Roughly half the studied populations, not the headline 73%.
Matching passages2ourworldindata.org · sammatey.substack.com
Factual claim
Statement 20 of 22
Across the entire dataset, exactly 50% of populations were in decline.
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
No source links were saved with this assessment. Treat this answer as limited until it is checked again.
Sources unavailable
No source links were published for this claim.
Factual claim
Statement 20 of 22
Across the entire dataset, exactly 50% of populations were in decline.
AI summary
The available sources were not specific enough for a confident result.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Saved source links1cms.gov
Factual claim · Statement 21 of 22
AI summary
Our World in Data states that when digging beneath the headline number, around half of the studied populations have declined, while just as many have either increased or remained stable. The 2024 Living Planet Index page likewise reports that exactly 50% of populations were in decline, with 43% increasing and 7% stable.
These links belong to the claim, but no exact sentence was found on their pages. Review the sources before relying on this result.
Factual claim · Statement 22 of 22 · 90% confidence
AI summary
Our World in Data's Living Planet Index coverage states that of the studied wildlife populations, exactly 50% were in decline while 43% were increasing and 7% were stable. Other outlets (Mother Jones, WWF) similarly report that roughly half the studied populations are stable or increasing, confirming the remainder were increasing or stable.
Saved source links3archive.ourworldindata.org · motherjones.com · ourworldindata.org
- The 2024 Living Planet Index reports a 73% average decline in wildlife populations — what’s changed since the last report?archive.ourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
- Wildlife populations have plunged globally, but some buck the trendwww.motherjones.com(opens in a new tab)
- Biodiversityourworldindata.org(opens in a new tab)
In this review
Claim 1 of 29
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