WWF says bluefin tuna and tiger recoveries show conservation can work, but warns gains are fragile

The World Wildlife Fund has published a new report which argues that conservation can work, pointing to the recovery of Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna as well as tigers, green turtles and some elephant populations. But the charity warns that these wins are fragile and that the wider picture for wildlife remains dire.

The bluefin tuna is the report's flagship example. The fish had virtually disappeared from British waters after decades of overfishing. Now thousands arrive off Cornwall every late summer and autumn. The BBC reported from Falmouth, where the UK's third Bluefin Tuna Fishing Championships took place. Anglers described feeding frenzies that draw birds and dolphins, and the fishery is now mandatory catch and release. WWF says the turnaround came from a combination of slashed international fishing quotas, protected spawning grounds, consumer campaigns, chef and retailer commitments, and monitoring of population health. Rebecca Shaw, chief scientist at WWF, said the bluefin tuna is a perfect example of what it takes, because communities, industry, governments and ordinary people all engaged. Channel 4 noted that Atlantic bluefin tuna had been down by 80 per cent, and that they are back thanks to industry reforms, consumer campaigns and supplier boycotts. The report describes this approach as scientific hope, built on a clear objective, a clear pathway, agency over actions and resilience when things go wrong.

Other species show similar patterns. Global tiger numbers have risen by more than 70 per cent, from an estimated 3,200 to 5,700 in 15 years, according to the report. The green sea turtle was downgraded from endangered to least concern last year after a 50-year effort involving 80 countries, with numbers up 25 per cent over 13 years. Some elephant populations in southern Africa are increasing because of local governance, although African savannah elephants are still declining overall. In Scotland, a restoration project has released more than 60,000 native oysters across four sites in the Firth of Forth, where the historic oyster bed once measured 20 miles by 6 miles and supported millions of oysters.

Despite these examples, WWF says they are the exception, not the rule. The charity tracks nearly 36,000 animal populations and says they have declined by 73 per cent on average since 1970. Rates of extinction, vulnerability to extinction risk and habitat loss are all still rising. Freshwater species have fallen by 85 per cent. Latin America and the Caribbean is the worst affected region, with animal populations down 95 per cent, largely because of deforestation. WWF estimates extinction rates are now about 100 times the natural rate, perhaps more. It points to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion, overharvesting, illegal poaching and climate change caused by burning fossil fuels.

The report also says the global risk to nature is a risk to humanity. Channel 4 reported an expert describing it as an economic and national security issue, not just a sad story about wildlife. WWF chief scientist Rebecca Shaw said there is no simple list of species to target next. Instead, she argued, conservation must address root causes in the food, energy and finance systems. WWF estimates that for every pound spent protecting nature, around 33 pounds go into activities that harm it.

Speaking about the bluefin tuna recovery, Shaw said it came from many people across different walks of life working to bring a species back from the brink. The report calls the approach scientific hope: a clear objective, a clear pathway, agency over actions and the resilience to deal with setbacks. Dr Kate Collins of the Natural History Museum, reflecting on whale conservation, said the situation felt hopeless 20 years ago but it was worth not giving up. She added: Nothing's dead till the last one's dead. The report's message is that the window to save wildlife and nature is closing, but it is still open if action is taken now.