Threatened British Species Highlighted By Wildlife Stocktake

When an eminent naturalist of the stature of Sir David Attenborough says that a report offers “a stark warning”, then we would be advised to sit up and pay attention.  The report in question is The State Of Nature report, compiled by 25 wildlife organisations, from the RSPB right the way through to the British Lichen Society, and collates assessments of 3,148 species.

Conservationists are hoping that it will offer some clues to the fate of the UK's 59,000 species. The most vulnerable species have proved to be beetles and wild flowers, and  according to the document, reasons for the decline are "many and varied" but include rising temperatures and habitat degradation.
Species requiring specific habitats have fared particularly poorly compared to those that are able to adapt to the country's changing environment.

"This ground-breaking report is a stark warning - but it is also a sign of hope," said naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who launched the report. We have in this country a network of passionate conservation groups supported by millions of people who love wildlife.

"The experts have come together today to highlight the amazing nature we have around us and to ensure that it remains here for generations to come."

Sir David said there appeared to be no single answer to the question of how people could help stem the decline in Britain's wildlife.   But he added: "What you have to do to help bats differs from what you have to do to help frogs or butterflies or pond life. Yet each one of these has an organisation which is knowledgeable and willing to help anybody who wants to know how to support these species that they're concerned about."

The State of Nature report brings together individual reports that have been published in recent years surveying the fortunes of bees, birds, moths and mammals in the UK and analysing material from ongoing studies.  But the data still only covers 5% of the UK's estimated 59,000 native species.

Dr Fiona Burns, a lead author of the report, hopes future editions will involve more experts. The charity Plantlife contributed data on the UK's flora, including rare corn cleavers  "By including those people and including their expertise, even though we've not got as much information about fungi or other groups, we can promote the importance of these groups in UK flora and fauna," she said.

"The knowledge gaps highlight that there are big biases in what we study, what we monitor. If we want to get an idea of the health of the eco-systems and our biodiversity we need to redress that balance."

Conservationists say that a definitive list of the UK's most endangered species is hard to provide because of the difficulties involved in comparing such different species - each with particular needs and issues. But stand out facts are that hedgehogs have declined by about a third since the year 2000, harbour seals have declined by about 31% in Scottish waters since 1996,  and the small tortoise shell butterfly has declined by 77% in the last ten years.

                       http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/science/stateofnature/foreword.aspx