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(5MinNewsBreak.com) – In a bizarre-sounding but significant environmental development, conservation advocates have raised alarms over a noticeable decline in the UK butterfly population, announcing a “butterfly emergency” and advocating for increased protective measures for species at risk.
Dan Hoare, the director of conservation at Butterfly Conservation, a wildlife charity, expressed significant concern over the state of butterflies this season.
“It’s been a bit of a disastrous summer for butterflies,” Hoare remarked during an interview with AFP, cited by Insider Paper.
He further described a shift in the presence of these insects in everyday life, stating, “We’ve gone from this situation where seeing a butterfly outside on a sunny day was a normal part of our everyday lives to that being a rare event.”
Butterfly Conservation organizes the “Big Butterfly Count” annually, which involves tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the UK.
This initiative serves as a critical tool for assessing environmental health.
The results from this year’s count revealed a troubling trend, with butterfly numbers hitting a 14-year low, plummeting by 81 percent for the species monitored compared to the previous year. Additionally, a third of the species observed recorded their lowest numbers ever.
Several factors contribute to this decline. Experts point to an unusually wet summer, alongside shifts in land use and farming practices, such as the use of pesticides.
Global warming also plays a significant role in affecting butterfly populations, according to the report.
In light of these challenges, Butterfly Conservation, under the guidance of its president, the esteemed television naturalist David Attenborough, has declared a “butterfly emergency” to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.
This year’s drop in butterfly numbers is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, worrying trend that has seen 80 percent of butterfly species in the UK diminish since the 1970s.
Furthermore, half of these species are now listed as either “threatened” or “near threatened” with extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
Hoare emphasized the urgency of the situation, suggesting that immediate action is essential to avert further losses and protect overall biodiversity.
He argued that the disappearance of butterflies poses a broader threat to ecological health and diversity.
The charity is pushing for stronger protection of butterfly habitats and is advocating for a prohibition on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, which are harmful not only to butterflies but also to bees.
These insecticides are prevalent in various applications, including crop production, domestic gardens, golf courses, and even in flea treatments for pets.
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