Washington, DC (January 15, 2025) - New WWF-led research reveals that the vital benefits wildlife provides to people's everyday lives are vastly underrepresented across science and policy discussions. This oversight could have detrimental consequences for achieving global conservation targets, explain the researchers.
The study, published today in the first ever issue of Nature Reviews Biodiversity, shows that while the concept of Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) is well-established in science, business, and policy, it often assumes that protecting a habitat or ecosystem will automatically preserve the benefits people rely on. This assumption overlooks the importance of wildlife species and the myriad roles they play.
Out of the 18 NCP categories defined by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the research found that at least 12 are directly supported by wildlife. These range from material benefits, like food and livelihoods from fish or game species, to non-material values such as ecotourism, medicinal uses, and a sense of identity or well-being. Wildlife also plays critical roles in regulating ecosystems, such as controlling prey populations, pollinating plants, dispersing seeds, and reducing disease risk, as seen with sharks, bats, monkeys and vultures, and illustrated in a report accompanying the paper, titled Nature's Technicians.
"WWF's latest Living Planet Report shows that monitored vertebrate populations have shrunk by an average of 73% since 1970," says Becky Chaplin-Kramer, WWF Global Biodiversity Lead Scientist and lead author of the paper. "These figures demonstrate a loss of genetic diversity that weakens wildlife resilience against climate change, disease, and habitat loss. Declines in the number of individual animals or plants can upset entire ecosystems, with far-reaching consequences for people and economies."
"If people don't recognize the full spectrum of values wildlife offers our society, including the sometimes 'invisible' benefits - they might miss the actions needed to protect it. We have to account for the roles wildlife play across ecosystems, and the impact of their decline on human well-being in conservation policy and management," adds Chaplin-Kramer.
One well-known example of the impact of species loss is the case of North American sea otters. The 19th-century fur trade decimated their populations, causing an explosion in sea urchins, which destroyed kelp forests. This had dire consequences for fish populations, local fishing communities, and coastal ecosystems, making the area more vulnerable to storms and erosion and reducing the resources available to Indigenous communities that relied on kelp.
"The long-term loss of wildlife will lead to declines in its contributions to people and ultimately harm their wellbeing," says Nathan Bennett, WWF's Global Oceans Lead Scientist and co-author of the paper. "This is especially true for Indigenous Peoples and resource-dependent communities that depend heavily on wildlife for subsistence harvesting. Wildlife can also support local ecotourism businesses and jobs."
Robin Naidoo, WWF's Lead Wildlife Scientist, and co-author of the paper explains: "Wildlife has been the protagonist of artwork and music for millennia, and hundreds of products and services have been inspired by nature's efficient systems evolved over billions of years. Many Indigenous communities also view animals as important teachers or as kin. The value of wildlife goes beyond physical metrics like a kilogram of meat or a tonne of carbon stored. It's spiritual, and experiences with wildlife can bring much enjoyment and connection with nature to people."
The research calls for greater recognition of wildlife's contributions in global biodiversity policies, such as the Global Biodiversity Framework. By connecting wildlife to the benefits they provide, policymakers and wildlife managers can generate broader support for conservation efforts, ensuring these benefits continue.
The study also highlights gaps in large-scale monitoring and modeling, emphasizing that advancements in satellite technology, AI, environmental DNA, acoustic sensing, and citizen science could improve knowledge and data, ensuring conservation resources are deployed efficiently. Such advancements however require a greater injection of funding.
"It's been two years since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework, and we're still lacking a clear path to mobilizing the resources needed for its implementation," adds Wendy Elliott, Interim Practice Leader for Biodiversity at WWF. "At the resumed session for COP16 in Rome next month, Parties must remember the vast 'invisible' benefits of wildlife that support our societies, and the risks we face if the biodiversity crisis is not addressed. Equally urgent is agreement on a financial package that meets the immediate needs of countries to safeguard these benefits for current and future generations."
