The Long-crested Eagle under threat. (Photo courtesy wildlifekenya.com)

Two reports published in the last month revealing a long-term and substantial decline in the world’s wildlife stock give great cause for concern.

A report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Living Planet shows that monitored wildlife populations including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have declined by 69 percent in the last 50 years.

The report also states that between 1970 and 2018 the wildlife populations in Latin America and the Caribbean region have fallen by a staggering 94 percent on average.

Hardest hit by habitat loss and barriers to migration have been the stocks of migratory freshwater fish which the report says have declined by an average of 83 percent.

Africa 66 Percent Decline in Wildlife Populations

WWF’s head of conservation programmes Jackson Kiplagat said that “Africa recorded a decline of 66 percent in wildlife populations since 1970, with Kenya falling in the threat hotspots region because of the decline of key species and degradation of key habitats.”
Declining Bird Species

Last month, BirdLife International in its State of the Worlds Birds 2022 drew attention to the decline of bird species over the last 500 years.

The report noted that of some 11,000 bird species at least 160 are now extinct and that one in eight bird species are currently at risk of extinction.

Birdlife International have been monitoring bird populations since 1922. The organization’s 2018 report noted a world-wide decline in bird species of 40 percent.

The report raised further concern that due to agricultural extension and intensification resulting in habitat loss and degradation, 73 percent of all bird species are threatened, whilst a further 27 percent of birdlife are threatened by the cutting down of trees, the exploitation of natural resources and invasive species.

Kenya’s World Famous Bird Life Threatened

Kenya is by no means immune to the threat to its famous bird life.
Kenya has one of the richest Afrifauna in Africa with approximately 1,100 bird species of which 800 reside in the county year-round. However, the study showed that 70 percent reduction in the raptor species in Kenya, which includes birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, buzzards and vultures.

Of greatest concern, the report revealed that the Long-crested eagle and Secretary bird have declined by 94 percent over the last 50 years.
“The pressures causing these declines are well understood”, Dr Peter Njoroge, Head of Ornithology at the National Museum of Kenya said when the report was published, “and virtually all of them are driven by human actions.”