A Third of Species Threatened in Touraine

A third of species are under threat in the Touraine -- particularly insects, birds and amphibians. It's linked to the usual suspects -- change of land use, destruction of habitats and agricultural chemicals. More and more municipalities are getting biodiversity surveys done and taking action to restore important habitat such as wetlands, heaths and unimproved pasture.

Recently the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) met in Marseille. They are the organisation that oversees the Red List of Endangered Species. Nowadays, it's not just Bengal Tigers and Komodo Dragons on the list, but all sorts of animals that are closer to home. Here in the Touraine it is the Société d'études pour la protection et l'aménagement de la nature en Touraine (known by its initials, Sepant) which is sounding the alarm.

Agile Frog.

 

The data from the regular biodiversity surveys conducted by Sepant are sent to the National Biodiversity Observatory, and to the IUCN. Four groups in particular are being closely monitored -- birds, insects, amphibians and molluscs. Sepant estimates that 30% of insect species are threatened, and the other groups are compromised too.

The losses are directly linked to urbanisation, destruction of natural habitats, and chemicals used to treat crops. In Indre et Loire calcareous grasslands, heaths and damp grasslands are particularly vulnerable. Already, the disappearance of hedgerows has sounded the death knell for the Meadow Lark (Fr. Tarier des prés). The Scarce Large Blue butterfly Maculinea teleius (Fr. l'Azuré de la sangsuisorbe) is critically endangered. And the Agile Frog Rana dalmatina (Fr. grenouille agile) hasn't been seen in Tours since 1975.

Large Blue butterfly Maculinea arion (Fr. Azuré du serpolet), also declining in numbers.

 

The elected city council of Tours is allied to the Ecology Party politically, so they have commissioned a biodiversity survey of the city, and are engaged in the conservation restoration of several important habitats, such as a marsh at Notre-Dame-d'Oé and a traditionally/conservation grazed heath at Larçay.