Dire predictions for future of world wildlife

The Asia-Pacific region could run out of fish in just 30 years' time, according to the United Nations.

More than half of Africa's birds and mammals could die out by 2100, the organisation's comprehensive species survey also warned.

The reports were presented at a major environmental conference in Colombia, after three years' work by nearly 600 scientists.

In the most extensive biodiversity survey since 2005, they warn that drastic measures need to be taken to prevent a massive decline in the world's wildlife.

Up to 90% of Asia-Pacific corals will suffer "severe degradation" by 2050, and Africa will see "significant" plant losses with lakes becoming 20-30% less productive by 2100.

Europe and Central Asia could lose a third of their fish populations, while almost half of the region's land animals and plants are in decline.

In Europe, just seven percent of marine species had a "favourable conservation status".

In the Americas, species populations are already 31% smaller than when the first European settlers arrived but they will have shrunk by about 40% by 2050.

Pollution, climate change and the clearing of forests to make way for farmland are among the main threats to nature, the reports say.

Robert Watson, chairman of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), said the findings showed humans were "undermining our own future well-being".

He added: "Biodiversity continues to be lost across all of the regions of the globe.

"We're losing species, we're degrading ecosystems... if we continue 'business as usual', we will continue to lose biodiversity at increasing rates.

"Biodiversity and nature's contributions to people sound, to many people, academic and far removed from our daily lives.

"Nothing could be further from the truth."

Nature provides humans with food, clean water, energy and climate regulation - just about everything we need to survive.

But with population growth expected to continue until at least 2050, demand on natural resources will also continue to grow.

The reports offer solutions such as restoring degraded zones, creating more protected areas and rethinking subsidies that promote unsustainable agriculture.

Mr Watson said: "Can we stop all of it? No. Can we significantly slow it down? Yes."

But among the positive notes are the rising forest cover in China and other Asian countries, more parks and protected areas and species such as the Iberian lynx, Amur tiger and far eastern leopard making a comeback from the brink of extinction.