Leonardo DiCaprio Instagram – Freshwater ecosystems are the lifeblood of the terrestrial wild—and people cannot survive without them. As freshwater carves its way toward the ocean and collects in natural basins, it creates some of the most diverse habitats on the planet. Rivers, lakes and wetlands cover less than 1% of Earth’s surface, yet are home to 12% of all known species. Freshwater ecosystems have had a staggering 84% decline in species populations since 1970. Fishes are among the most threatened: of some 18,000 freshwater fish species, around one in four are threatened with extinction. @rewild and @shoal_org are working to urgently address that decline to help recover threatened species throughout the Earth’s freshwaters. #EarthDay2024 #FreshwaterConvservation Cover image credit: @andrewsnyder87