LONDON: Bluefin tuna have returned in large numbers to British waters after nearly vanishing from the region, one of several wildlife recoveries highlighted in a new report from the World Wildlife Fund that the conservation group says demonstrates conservation efforts can succeed.
The Living Planet Report 2026, released Thursday, also found that monitored wildlife populations worldwide have declined by an average of 73% since 1970. The charity described nature as remaining in "freefall" but characterized the report as one of hope.
"It's not too late," Mike Barrett, chief scientific adviser at WWF-UK, told the BBC.
The U.K. once supported large tuna fisheries, but overfishing of both the tuna and the smaller fish it preys on caused the species to largely disappear from British waters by the 1960s. The report attributes the recent recovery to a coordinated international effort that included reduced catch quotas, size limits and protection of spawning grounds, supported by campaigns from consumers, chefs and retailers.
Hannah Rudd, head of marine at the Angling Trust, said the result was close to an "explosion" in the species' population.
"I think bluefin tuna is a golden case study that fisheries management works," she said.
The report also highlighted other recoveries worldwide. Wild tiger numbers increased more than 70%, from around 3,200 in 2010 to about 5,700 in 2025. Last year, the green sea turtle became the first marine turtle to have its protection status downgraded from "endangered" to "least concern" after 50 years of conservation work in about 80 countries. Elephant numbers are stable or growing in parts of southern Africa, partly due to new laws that give local people a share of income from tourism and other elephant-related activities.
Barrett said these successes resulted from clear goals, credible plans and people who believed they could make a difference. The report calls this "the science of hope."
"Hope is not the same thing as wishful thinking," he said. "Hope is not passive. Hope's about action."
Despite the individual successes, the overall picture for nature remains stark. WWF, working with the Zoological Society of London, tracks nearly 36,000 populations of almost 6,000 species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. It estimates global monitored wildlife populations have fallen by an average of 73% since 1970.
The figure measures the average change in population size, not the number of animals lost. About half of the populations are stable or growing, but their gains are outweighed by losses elsewhere.
WWF says conservation alone cannot reverse the decline and that efforts must address its causes. The biggest pressures come from farming, which can destroy habitats wildlife depends on, and burning fossil fuels for energy, which drives climate change.
The organization says money is flowing in the wrong direction. In 2023, about $7.3 trillion went into activities that harm nature, compared with $220 billion spent protecting or restoring it — a ratio of roughly 33 to 1, according to the report.
Barrett has worked on seven Living Planet reports but said this was the first where the takeaway message focused on hope.
"The fact that the science is still telling us that we've got a way out is actually extraordinary," he said. "So it's a closing window of opportunity, but it's still open, just, if we act now."
