DHAKA: The global loss of species is even worse than previously thought, the London Zoological Society (ZSL) says in its new Living Planet Index.

The report suggests populations have halved in 40 years, as new methodology gives more alarming results than in a report two years ago.

The report says populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish have declined by an average of 52%.

Populations of freshwater species have suffered an even worse fall of 76%.
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Compiling a global average of species decline involves tricky statistics, often comparing disparate data sets, reports the BBC.

The team at the zoological society say they’ve improved their methodology since their last report two years ago, but the results are even more alarming.

Then they estimated that wildlife was down ‘only’ around 30%. Whatever the numbers, it seems clear that wildlife is continuing to be driven out by human activity.

BDST: 1407 HRS, SEP 30, 2014