Alarm over mass species decline

ACCORDING to the State of Nature report just published, 60% of Britain’s native species have declined during the last half century and 10% may soon be extinct.

David Attenborough described the document as “a stark warning” and, according to lead author Mark Eaton, “the UK’s nature is in trouble. Overall, we are losing wildlife at an alarming rate”.

Most species have suffered significant declines over the last 50 years. Between 1%-2% have followed the wolf and great auk into extinction. Nor are problems confined to particular habitats, but spread across the board. Many salt-marsh areas have been lost to ‘development’. About 57% of freshwater species have declined.