Virtually all mammal biomass on Earth consists of humans and livestock.
A well-known and frequently cited article. It illustrates how humans and domesticated (farm) animals have come to dominate the world, with all the negative consequences this entails.
The article describes how the distribution of mammals on Earth has been significantly altered by human activity. Research shows that approximately 96% of the total mammal biomass consists of humans and their livestock, such as cows, pigs, and sheep. Wild mammals now represent a very small portion of the total. This is mainly due to deforestation, agriculture, urbanization, and intensive livestock farming, which are causing wildlife habitats to disappear. The article emphasizes that this skewed distribution has major consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems and demonstrates how dominant humans have become on Earth.
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Copyright © Hannah Ritchie & Fiona Spooner (2025). “Almost all of the world’s mammal biomass is humans and livestock”. Published online at OurWorldinData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20251129-121127/wild-animals-birds-biomass.html'[Online Resource] (archived on November 29, 2025). Sharing the article in its original form is, of course, permitted (and even encouraged) on the condition that this is always done with a clear reference to the source. This article has been compiled with the greatest care. However, the author cannot accept any liability for any damage of any kind arising from errors in the content.