WWF says wildlife populations down drastically

GENEVA – Populations of about 3,000 species of wildlife around the world have plummeted far worse than previously thought, according to a new study by one of the world’s biggest environmental groups.

The study today from the Swiss-based WWF largely blamed human threats to nature for a 52 percent decline in wildlife populations between 1970 and 2010.

It says improved methods of measuring populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles explain the huge difference from the 28 percent decline between 1970 and 2008 that the group reported in 2012.

Most of the new losses were found in tropical regions, particularly Latin America.

WWF describes the study it has carried out every two years since 1998 as a barometer of the state of the planet.