Monitored wildlife populations in Africa have declined by an average of 80% since 1970, according to the Living Planet Report 2026: The Science of Hope, published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
This decline, sharper than the global average of 73%, highlights the mounting pressures on Africa’s biodiversity.
The report draws on the Living Planet Index, which tracks population trends across 35,803 populations representing 5,790 species of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles worldwide. The index is managed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) in partnership with WWF to measure changes in the size of monitored wildlife populations.
However, the 80% decline does not mean that four out of five wild animals have disappeared from Africa, nor that 80% of African species are threatened. Rather, it represents the average decline in the size of monitored populations. Trends vary across species and ecosystems, with some populations remaining stable or even increasing.
Habitat loss and degradation are the main threats identified in the report. Other pressures include overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, pollution, disease and the spread of invasive species.
In the Congo Basin, agricultural expansion, logging, mining and the construction of roads and other infrastructure are contributing to forest fragmentation. These activities are also exposing previously isolated areas to increasing human pressures, particularly hunting and poaching.
African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) illustrate the scale of the crisis. Their populations have declined by more than 60% in recent decades, mainly due to habitat destruction and poaching linked to the ivory trade.
Despite these alarming findings, WWF stresses that wildlife decline is not irreversible. The results of certain conservation policies show that targeted action can help wildlife populations recover.
The establishment of protected areas, habitat restoration, species protection and sustainable resource management are among the measures capable of delivering positive results.
In southern Africa, some elephant populations are increasing. In the Congo Basin, collaborative management initiatives have also helped stabilize, and in some cases restore, certain gorilla populations.
The report nevertheless emphasizes one decisive factor: the involvement of local communities. Conservation efforts cannot be sustained without their participation in decision-making, recognition of their rights to land and natural resources, and tangible benefits from biodiversity protection.
Partnerships between communities, traditional authorities, governments and non-governmental organizations are therefore essential to strengthening the effectiveness of conservation policies.
Reversing the Crisis
According to WWF, conservation initiatives, however effective, will not be enough to reverse the long-term decline of wildlife unless the underlying causes of environmental degradation are addressed.
The report calls for a transformation of energy, food and financial systems. Dependence on fossil fuels, the conversion of natural habitats into agricultural land and investment in environmentally destructive activities continue to place considerable pressure on ecosystems.
Structural changes could, however, accelerate the transition. The rapid expansion of solar and wind energy, alongside the growing adoption of electric vehicles, demonstrates the potential for large-scale transformation across key sectors.
The food system is another major area for action. Changes in production and consumption patterns could reduce pressure on natural habitats and contribute to biodiversity restoration.
In the financial sector, redirecting capital towards sustainable activities could provide greater support for environmentally beneficial solutions.
The report delivers a twofold message: the scale of Africa’s wildlife decline demands urgent action, but conservation successes already achieved demonstrate that a different path remains possible.
To reverse the trend over the long term, species protection must be accompanied by a profound transformation of economic models and the relationship between human societies and nature.