Cyprus is home to 27 European endemic species of moths, making it one of only six countries in Europe where more than 20 such species have been recorded, according to the new “European Red List of Moths,” which the European Commission presented on Monday.
According to the report, the available data for these 27 species in Cyprus are considered insufficient to fully assess their risk of extinction. Along with Cyprus, more than 20 European endemic species with insufficient data are recorded in Spain, Italy, Greece, France, and Portugal.
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In a statement released on Monday, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment states that this is the first comprehensive assessment of the risk of extinction for moths at the European level, noting that this group of pollinators is under increasing pressure.
Nearly 12% at risk in the EU
According to the report, a total of 3,082 species were assessed at the European level, of which 704 are endemic, and 2,828 species in the EU-27, including 488 endemic species. The assessment was based on the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The results show that 10.8% of the species assessed in Europe are considered threatened, with that percentage rising to 11.9% in the EU-27. The category of species for which data are insufficient includes 23.6% at the European level and 17.9% in the EU.
The Commission summarizes the findings by noting that nearly one in nine moth species in Europe and nearly 12% in the EU are threatened with extinction, while for about one in four species in Europe, there is insufficient data on population status, distribution, and ecology.
The report states that approximately 35% of the endemic species assessed at the European level were classified as having insufficient data, a fact that prevents a full assessment of the actual risk of extinction for several of them.
One species, Eupithecia ogilviata from the Azores, was assessed as extinct, while several others are classified as “critically endangered” and “presumed extinct.”
Pressures from habitat loss and climate change
The report identifies habitat alteration and degradation, followed by climate change and extreme weather events, as the most significant threats to European moths; the report identifies habitat alteration and degradation, followed by climate change and extreme weather events, as well as pressures related to agriculture.
Urban development, pollution, habitat fragmentation, pesticide use, the homogenization of the rural landscape, and artificial lighting at night also affect a significant number of species, according to the report.
The European Commission states in its press release that the findings point to the following key actions: the protection, restoration, and reconnection of habitats; the promotion of sustainable land use; reducing pollution and artificial lighting at night, and strengthening monitoring and data collection, particularly in areas where there are few records.
The report recommends, among other things, the development of long-term monitoring programs, an increase in field research and geographic coverage of data, and further research on threatened species and those for which available data are insufficient.
Source: CNA
