Wildlife is being destroyed by humans living beyond the planet’s means – that’s according to a new report from WWF.
‘Exploding human consumption’ has caused a drop in the wildlife population in recent years, says the conservation group.
The Living Planet Report, published every two years, aims to assess the state of wildlife.
Only a quarter of the world’s land area is now free from the impact of humans and shockingly, the proportion will have fallen to just a 10th by 2050.
This is due to rising food production and an increase in the demand for energy, land and water.
The report reveals that nine out of 10 of the world’s seabirds are thought to have plastic in their stomachs.
Wildlife in Latin America and the Caribbean has fallen 89% since 1970.
In the UK, puffin numbers are falling as rising sea temperatures reduce the numbers of the sand eels they feed on.
The report also reveals that hedgehogs are predicted to almost vanish within the next few decades.
