WWF Conservation Balance 2025: The Results

There was good development for the Green Sea Turtle, Koalas in Australia, Snow Leopards in Nepal, and native White-tailed Eagles. However, according to the release on Sunday, Arctic seals, coral reefs, many bird species, and rhinos in Africa continue to be under pressure. In Europe, the weakened protection status has put the wolf in such a situation.

"Wild animals are disappearing from our planet at record speed - driven by habitat destruction, overexploitation and poaching, pollution, and the climate crisis," summarized WWF species protection expert Georg Scattolin. In return, a conservation offensive is needed from the political side, "because at the international level, the implementation and financing of the Global Nature Agreement are still progressing too slowly, while the climate crisis is escalating," the conservation organization stated.

Effectiveness of Species Protection

The effectiveness of species protection is shown by sharks and rays, which were protected for the first time through international trade bans at the species protection conference (CITES COP) in Uzbekistan. With the establishment of the Great Koala National Park, a decisive step for the protection of koalas was taken in Australia in 2025, and in the Romanian Carpathians, the renewed birth of bison in the wild is "a symbol of successful reintroduction programs after their extinction." In Peru, there are initial indications of a slight recovery of the rare river dolphins, partly due to local protection programs and projects in fisheries.

"The winning species of 2025 show that our efforts to protect endangered species and ecosystems are worthwhile and that despite setbacks, there are always opportunities for nature," said Scattolin. There are also examples of this from Austria. Strict protection laws and species protection measures have ensured that the White-tailed Eagle population has grown to around 90 pairs. According to WWF, there are small but all the more gratifying species protection successes with the world's most endangered animal group: the sturgeons. "In the March-Auen and along the Mur, young sterlets were successfully released again this year - an important building block to bring the species back to its original habitat."

Need for Action for the Moor Frog

However, the list of losers is also long, including in Austria the moor frog, whose most significant occurrences in this country are along the March and in the area of Lake Neusiedl or Seewinkel. In recent years, the populations have declined significantly due to the increasing drying out of the landscape. The WWF therefore sees an urgent need for action to revitalize wetlands.

There is also concern about the wolf, whose protection status in Europe has been "politically weakened." This now endangers decades of success in rebuilding populations. According to the WWF, every fifth confirmed wolf in Austria has already been killed this year.

Climate Crisis Affects Seals

Three Arctic seal species were upgraded on the Red List in 2025, and the reassessment of walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) confirmed their status as "vulnerable" and the enormous pressure on the species. The main cause is the loss of sea ice due to global warming: without stable ice surfaces, there are no retreats for rearing young, foraging, and resting. At the same time, pressure from shipping, underwater noise, resource extraction, hunting, and fishing is increasing.

The 2025 update of the Red List also shows an alarming trend for birds, according to the WWF: 61 percent of all bird species worldwide are declining in their populations - significantly more than in the last comprehensive assessment in 2016, when it was 44 percent. Coral reefs are also among the big losers. After massive coral bleaching in the Caribbean in 2023 and one of the strongest ever documented bleaching events at the Great Barrier Reef in 2024, the fourth global mass bleaching on the west coast of Australia this year reached unprecedented proportions, it was reported.

The situation of African rhinos remains equally critical. According to current IUCN figures, around 22,540 animals were counted in Africa in 2025, including 6,788 black rhinos (Diceros bicornis), which are considered "critically endangered," and 15,752 white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum), classified as "near threatened." The populations of black rhinos are said to have increased by about five percent, while those of white rhinos have declined by eleven percent over the same period.

(APA/Red)

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