Population Growth Will Increase Human-Wildlife Overlap By 57 Percent, Says Study

A recent study published in Science Advances predicts a significant increase in human-wildlife overlap over the next 50 years, driven primarily by population growth. This increase is expected to occur across 57 percent of the earth's land by 2070, making it harder to prioritize dedicated wildlife areas free from urbanization. With the global human population predicted to surpass 10 billion by the mid-2080s, more than half of all land is already used by humans, and this number is expected to increase to 70 percent by the 2060s.

The intensifying overlap between humans and wildlife is likely to lead to human-animal conflict, habitat degradation, and biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss is also a key driver of infectious disease outbreaks, with human-wildlife contact playing a significant role in escalating zoonotic disease outbreaks. Conservation planning will need to become more creative and inclusive in order to promote sustainable coexistence as more areas of the world become shared by people and wildlife, according to the study's co-author, Dr. Neil Carter.