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Researchers have revealed an alarming decrease in the number of vertebrate wildlife population.
STATES CHRONICLE – New research conducted by the Living Planet Report has revealed that the vertebrate wildlife is in danger. The study was performed by scientists from the Zoological Society of London and the World Wildlife Fund. They have predicted that in 2020 the population of vertebrate wildlife population around the globe will decrease. This decline was registered to represent almost two-thirds of the number existing in 1970.
The decrease recorded in vertebrates’ population will occur in species like amphibians, fish, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Unfortunately, plants, as well as invertebrates, are also suffering some decrease in number. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Great Barrier Reef is currently harmed because of climate change. This spectacular living structure which appeared 25 million years ago and was pronounced UNESCO World Heritage Site is now slowly degrading, affecting the habitat of so many species.
Based on the data gathered in a study, the vertebrate population has dropped by almost 60% in 42 years, starting from 1970 to 2012. This is a dramatic change, evidence of the fact that thousands of species are suffering because of manmade disasters. Scientists have claimed that the researches have shown that until the year 2020 the vertebrate wildlife population will drop to 67%.
We need to avoid such a dreadful thing from happening. If we do not find ways of stopping this, the total extinction of animals is bound to occur in the middle of the 21st century. The Living Planet Index had achieved the development of this calculus. Scientists working on this study have analyzed and monitored about 14,000 populations of animals, part of approximately 3,700 different species.
One of the first and most significant contributions to the animal population’s decline is climate change. This terrible factor is one of the reasons thousands of species are going extinct. Other factors are diseases spread by humans, habitat destruction, over-exploitation of particular areas and environmental pollution.
The results of the study have identified a lot of sources of water which were contaminated. These lakes and rivers are used by many animals. Water pollution has registered the major hit in vertebrate wildlife decline, displaying a decrease of 81% within 42 years. The population of marine species has dropped to nearly 36%, whereas the number of terrestrial vertebrates had reduced to 38%.
Image source: wikipedia
