World wildlife population halved in 40 years

[politicus]

Populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish have declined by an average of 52%.
Freshwater species have a fall of 76%. A tragedy.

Sometimes I wonder whether only a major epidemic killing off half of humanity can save the rest of the natural world.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29418983

[politicus]

There's no longer such a thing as "wildlife". This planet has been so thoroughly domesticated at this point that the terms "nature" and "the wild" no longer refer to discrete entities but to conceits that exist only within human minds. Even if the whole of humanity were to perish at once, the planet Earth would everywhere bear the mark of our powerful, intelligent and reckless species for the endless milennia to come.

Having just returned from Greenland I can tell you that there are still huge areas not domesticated where nature is indeed very much wild. Anyway, this is besides the point. Animals and plant species are disappearing at an alarming pace and the habitats for non-domesticated animals are being ruined which together with poaching leads to dwindling populations. This isn't about discourse, perception or concepts.  No reason to intellectualize a real problem away.

[politicus]

I'm confused.  Are those drops the %age drops in the number of species or in the number of individual animals?

The latter.