68 per cent decline in wildlife population in less than 50 years: Report

In less than 50 years, there has been an average decline of 68 per cent in the population of animals, birds and fish globally, according to a report.

Human activity is to be blamed for severe destruction to three-quarters of land and 40 per cent of the oceans.

The Living Planet Index report for this year has also warned that an increase in deforestation and agriculture were the main factors in this significant decline observed between 1970 and 2016.

The index that tracks over 4,000 species of vertebrates has also said the continual downfall in natural habitat has also aggravated the risk of future pandemics.

WWF International director general told news agency AFP that this decline in wildlife is "accelerating" since the 30 years they have started monitoring and it continues to go towards "the wrong direction".

"In 2016 we documented a 60 per cent decline, now we have a 70 per cent decline," he said.

"All this is in a blink of an eye compared to the millions of years that many species have been living on the planet."

The biennial report is a collaboration of WWF International and the Zoological Society of London and is the 13th edition since the initiative to track wildlife population started.