Some dragonflies at risk of extinction
Habitat loss, climate change threaten species survival
Hundreds of volunteers will be out combing lakes, marshes and other wetlands in B.C. this long weekend in search of dragonflies.
It's part of a new campaign launched by Ducks Unlimited Canada ahead of the International Day for Biological Diversity on Sunday. The campaign aims to raise awareness about how vital wetlands are to the survival of dragonflies, an insect at risk because of wetland loss and climate change.
Research in the journal PNAS shows global warming is causing some male dragonflies to lose their shimmer, reducing their ability to attract a mate. The study suggests male dragonflies may be shedding their wing pigments to adapt to a changing climate because of a rise in body temperature. Out of 6,016 species of dragonflies and damselflies, 16 per cent are at risk of extinction, according to Ducks Unlimited, which says wetland habitat loss is the leading cause of their decline.
The volunteers are documenting any dragonflies they find as part of Project Dragonfly, a citizen science project, to call attention to the plight of dragonfly species in B.C.
In 2020, the first documented sighting of a grappletail dragonfly in 40 years occurred in the Fraser Valley as a result of a similar B.C. Parks project.
“You can think of them as the `canaries in the coal mine,' ” said Larry Kaumeyer, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada.
“Dragonflies are extremely sensitive to changes in the environment, which makes their welfare a strong indicator of the overall welfare of our wetlands. These amazing insects are sending us a clear message about the fate that could potentially befall hundreds of other species that depend on wetlands during their life cycles.”
Up to 40 per cent of the world's wildlife species live and breed in wetlands. In Canada, this includes more than 500 species of wildlife — 97 of which are identified as being at risk, according to Ducks Unlimited.
Janine Massey, the group's chief marketing officer, said Canada doesn't yet have a comprehensive wetland inventory and monitoring system to effectively measure wetland loss.
This is a problem because Ducks Unlimited estimates up to 70 per cent of wetlands have been lost in southern parts of Canada, and up to 95 per cent in densely populated areas. Add the growing impacts of climate change on both wildlife and habitat and the threats become even greater.
“What this means is that we don't have a very good baseline to work from. We have information and we have statistics around wetland loss, but it's nowhere near as robust as what we see the United States do in terms of tracking wetland habitat losses,” said Massey.
She said Friday the response to the volunteer program has been enormous and they were already receiving observations from volunteers in Victoria and Vancouver. She added that the program will be continuing through the summer so anyone who wants to volunteer can sign up at iNaturalist and then find out more at the Project Dragonfly website.
“I think some of the challenges we face around climate change, biodiversity loss and so on can seem overwhelming. And this feels like something you can grab onto,” said Massey.
“Spotting dragonflies is pretty easy. They fly around in the day. They're large, they're acrobatic, they're colourful, so they're not the hardest thing to find if you know where to look, which is generally around water and wetlands.”