One-third of Swiss animal and plant species face extinction risk

One in three species in Switzerland now faces extinction risk. The finding comes from WWF’s new Living Planet Report and places Switzerland above all of its neighbouring countries on this measure. It covers both animals and plants, linking the condition of individual species to wider changes in the landscapes and waters where they live.

WWF identifies three major pressures: intensive use of habitats, environmental pollution and the climate crisis. Together, they reduce the space available for wildlife, damage ecological conditions and make it harder for populations to recover. The assessment arrives as Switzerland continues to define which species require focused protection. A separate Swiss list names 2,999 species with special conservation needs.

The figures describe a national problem with local consequences. Species loss affects forests, farmland, rivers and alpine habitats, while changes in biodiversity can alter the ecological systems on which people also depend. WWF’s assessment does not suggest that every threatened species will disappear. It shows that a substantial share requires intervention to improve its prospects.

The report also points to recoveries within Switzerland. Otters, white storks and lake trout demonstrate that conservation measures can produce visible results when authorities and local organisations restore habitat and address specific threats.

The Eurasian otter is present in nine Swiss cantons after being considered extinct in the country. Its return offers a clear example of how a species can re-establish itself when conditions improve and conservation efforts remain focused.

The otter depends on functioning waterways and suitable banks, making its presence a useful sign of recovery in parts of Switzerland’s river network. The source report does not identify all nine cantons or provide a national population estimate, but its wider distribution marks a significant change from the period when the species was regarded as absent from Switzerland.

Freshwater restoration has also helped lake trout in the Hasliaare in the canton of Bern. Large trout can once again be observed spawning there after the watercourse was renaturalised and fluctuations in flow were reduced. These measures address the physical conditions that fish need during reproduction, rather than relying only on species protection away from the river itself.

The examples show why conservation operates at several levels. Protecting an animal requires attention to habitat, water quality and the way rivers are managed. It also requires monitoring over time, since a return to one site does not by itself guarantee a secure national population.

Switzerland counted 887 white stork breeding pairs in 2022. Reintroduction projects helped the species recover, making the stork one of the country’s most visible conservation successes. The bird’s return has become a familiar sight across Swiss lowlands and farmland, where its large nests and seasonal movements connect biodiversity policy with everyday observation.

Thomas Vellacott, CEO of WWF Switzerland, called the recovery “a real Swiss success story”. His assessment reflects the role of sustained, targeted work. Reintroduction can support a species when numbers have fallen sharply, but long-term recovery also depends on adequate feeding areas, nesting sites and protection during the breeding season.

The white stork example provides a counterpoint to the broader decline described in the report. It shows that the extinction risk attached to a species can change when conservation groups, land managers and public authorities coordinate their actions. It does not erase the pressures facing other animals and plants, and the source does not claim that the stork population is fully secure.

The recovery does, however, offer a practical model for Swiss conservation. Clear targets, repeated monitoring and habitat measures can turn a threatened population into one that is once again reproducing across the country.

Global observed wildlife populations have fallen by an average of 73% since 1970. WWF also reports that around half of the animal populations studied have remained stable or recovered, showing that the overall decline contains different regional and species-level trends.

For Switzerland, the assessment points towards continued, targeted action rather than a single nationwide solution. River renaturation can improve spawning conditions for fish. Reintroduction projects can rebuild bird populations. Protecting habitats and reducing pollution can give plants and animals more room to persist as the climate changes.

The scale of the national challenge remains substantial. With one-third of animal and plant species considered threatened, conservation priorities will need to cover more than the best-known wildlife. Plants, insects and less visible species also depend on intact habitats and connected ecological networks. The source material does not detail how the threat level breaks down by taxon, region or habitat, so those comparisons require separate data.

Switzerland’s next steps will determine whether the recoveries cited by WWF remain isolated successes or become part of a broader trend. The return of otters, white storks and lake trout provides evidence that interventions can work. The report makes clear that habitat pressure, pollution and climate change continue to shape the outcome.