A campaigner says the Church has a duty to act after a report revealed world wildlife populations have fallen by 58 per cent since 1970.

Samantha Chandler, from the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA), was speaking after the Zoological Society of London and WWF report, called the Living Planet Assessment, found animals living near wetlands, rivers and lakes were the worst affected.

She said the Church "absolutely" had an imperative to act on the figures, saying that once species do die out there is nothing we can to restore them.

It's thought intensive farming, land and aquatic pollution, climate change and hunting are to blame for the dramatic decrease in wildlife numbers.

Some have criticised the report, saying the 58 per cent figure is unreliable because it's compiled with too much data from Western Europe and not enough from South America and Tropical Africa.

A maned wolf. The species is threatened by grasslands being turned into farmland in Brazil

A European eel in Norway. The species has declined due to disease, over-fishing and changes to their river habitats

Speaking on Premier's Inspirational Breakfast, Samantha Chandler said: "All these beautiful creatures were made by God for his glory and according Psalm 148, to give him praise.

"In John 3:16 it talks about 'God so loved the world'. That's exactly what it does mean - he loves the world, not only human beings, and we need to remember that.

"Once these animals do die out and disappear we cannot get them back. The blueprint is lost."

Listen to Premier's John Pantry and Rosie Wright speaking to Samantha Chandler on Inspirational Breakfast: