For the first time ever, the UK’s wildlife organisations joined forces to undertake a health check of nature in the UK and its Overseas Territories. Here we show you the key findings of this amazing report. To view the full report check out www.rspb.org.uk/stateofnature.
- 60% of the 3,148 UK species assessed have declined over the last 50 years and 31% have declined strongly.
- Half of the species assessed have shown strong changes in their numbers or range, indicating that recent environmental changes are having a dramatic impact on nature in the UK. Species with specific habitat requirements seem to be faring worse than generalist species.
- A new Watchlist Indicator, developed to measure how conservation priority species are faring, shows that their overall numbers have declined by 77% in the last 40 years, with little sign of recovery.
- Of more than 6,000 species that have been assess using modern Red List criteria, more than one in 10 are thought to be under threat of extinction in the UK.
- The assessment looks back over 50 years at most, yet there were large declines in the UK’s wildlife prior to this, linked to habitat loss.
- The UK’s Overseas Territories hold a wealth of wildlife of huge international importance and over 90 of these species are at high risk of global extinction.
- There is a lack of knowledge on the trends of most of the UK’s species. As a result, the report can only determine quantitative trends for only 5% of the 59,000 or so terrestrial and freshwater species in the UK, and for very few of the 8,500 marina species. Much needs to be done to improve our knowledge.
- What is known about the state of the UK’s nature is often based upon the efforts of thousands of dedicated volunteer enthusiasts who contribute their time and expertise to monitoring schemes and species recording.
- The threats to the UK’s wildlife are any and varied, the most severe acting either to destroy valuable habitat or degrade the quality and value of what remains.
- Climate change is having an increasing impact on nature in the UK. Rising average temperatures are known to be driving range expansion in some species, but evidence for harmful impacts is also mounting.
We should act to save nature both for its intrinsic value and for the benefits it brings to us that are essential to our wellbeing and prosperity.
Targeted conservation has produced inspiring success stories and, with sufficient determination, resources and public support, we can turn the fortunes of our wildlife around.
The State of Nature report serves to illustrate that with share resolve and commitment we can save nature.
Kwa mara ya kwanza, mashirika ya wanyama wa mwituni nchini Uingereza yameungana kufanya uchunguzi wa afya ya mazingira nchini Uingereza na maeneo yake ya ng'ambo. Hapa tunakuonyesha matokeo muhimu ya ripoti hii ya kushangaza. Kwa maelezo zaidi, angalia tovuti ya RSPB.org.uk na stateofnature. Katika miaka 50 iliyopita, asilimia 60 ya spishi 3,148 zilizochunguzwa nchini Uingereza zimepungua na asilimia 31 zimepungua sana. Nusu ya spishi zilizochunguzwa zinaonyesha mabadiliko makubwa katika idadi yao au ueneaji, ikionyesha kuwa mabadiliko ya hivi karibuni ya mazingira yana athari kubwa kwa asili nchini Uingereza. Aina zenye mahitaji maalum ya makao ya wanyama huonekana kuwa na hali mbaya zaidi kuliko spishi za jumla. "Kulingana na ripoti ya ""Watchlist,"" idadi ya spishi za kipekee za kuhifadhiwa imepungua kwa asilimia 77 katika miaka 40 iliyopita, na hakuna dalili za kupona." Kati ya spishi 6,000 zilizotathminiwa kwa kutumia vigezo vya kisasa vya orodha nyekundu, zaidi ya moja kati ya kumi inadhaniwa kuwa iko chini ya tishio la kutoweka nchini Uingereza. Utafiti huo unaangalia nyuma zaidi ya miaka 50 lakini kulikuwa na kupungua kwa wanyama wa mwituni nchini Uingereza kabla ya hapo, kuhusiana na upotezaji wa makazi. Eneo la Uingereza la Ng'ambo lina utajiri wa wanyama wa porini wa umuhimu mkubwa wa kimataifa na zaidi ya spishi 90 za wanyama wa porini ziko katika hatari kubwa ya kutoweka ulimwenguni. - Kuna ukosefu wa maarifa juu ya mwenendo wa wengi wa aina ya Uingereza. Kwa hivyo, ripoti inaweza kuamua mwenendo wa kiasi kwa 5% tu ya spishi 59,000 za nchi kavu na maji baridi nchini Uingereza, na kwa chache sana za spishi 8,500 za baharini. Kuna mengi ya kufanywa ili kuboresha ujuzi wetu. - Nini inajulikana kuhusu hali ya asili ya Uingereza ni mara nyingi kulingana na juhudi za maelfu ya kujitolea kujitolea enthusiasts ambao kuchangia muda wao na utaalamu wa mipango ya ufuatiliaji na aina ya rekodi. Hatari kwa wanyama wa mwituni wa Uingereza ni nyingi na mbalimbali, na hatari kubwa zaidi ni kuharibu mazingira muhimu au kuharibu ubora na thamani ya kile kinachobaki. Mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa yanaathiri mazingira ya asili nchini Uingereza. Kuongezeka kwa joto la wastani kunajulikana kuwa kusababisha upanuzi wa aina fulani, lakini ushahidi wa athari mbaya pia unazidi kuongezeka. Tunapaswa kutenda ili kuokoa asili kwa thamani yake ya ndani na kwa faida inayoleta kwetu ambayo ni muhimu kwa ustawi wetu na ustawi. Uhifadhi wa lengo umezalisha hadithi za mafanikio ya kuchochea na, kwa azimio la kutosha, rasilimali na msaada wa umma, tunaweza kubadilisha bahati za wanyama wetu wa porini. Ripoti ya Hali ya Asili inatumika kuonyesha kwamba kwa azimio la pamoja na kujitolea tunaweza kuokoa asili.