People would like to see half of the world's land and oceans to be protected for nature - much more than currently receives protection, an international survey suggests.
Those surveyed in the UK want to see 40 per cent of the world's marine areas protected, and the same amount of protected areas in British waters.
Britons also want to see 40 per cent of land protected globally, and more than a third (34 per cent) of landscapes in the UK protected for nature, the online polling for the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) found.
But across the world, just three per cent of oceans are protected and 15 per cent of land covered by protections such as national parks, nature reserves, community conserved areas and urban parks.
The survey, which polled more than 7,000 people in Australia, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, UK and the US, found those in other countries wanted even higher levels of protection.
Brazilians topped the poll with a wish to see 70% of land and oceans protected internationally, and 60% of both land and seas conserved in their own country.
Though Britons proposed lower levels of protection both internationally and domestically than most of the other countries, UK has among the highest rates of protected areas of those quizzed, with 18% of marine areas and 28% of land classed as being protected.
Across the seven countries, there was a desire to see 50% of the world's oceans and 50% of its land protected.
Professor Jonathan Baillie, director of conservation at ZSL, comments: "ZSL and WWF's Living Planet Index has recently demonstrated that global wildlife populations have halved in 40 years.
"If this trend is to be reversed we need to think about how much space we leave for other species and I believe that if we act now, setting aside 50% of the planet for protected areas is achievable.
"ZSL looks forward to working with 4,000 experts from across the globe at the upcoming IUCN World Parks Congress to clarify what can and must be done to improve the coverage and effectiveness of protected spaces."
