Charity disheartened by 'devastating' impacts of recent conditions on key species: 'The overall trends are alarming'
A worrying decline in insects and birds has conservationists speaking out. The National Trust, a conservation charity, has recorded a significant drop in a variety of species as a result of inconsistent weather patterns, according to a report by the Guardian.
The National Trust's 2024 annual report reveals the consequences of unstable weather patterns, as the populations of bird and insect species have experienced major declines in the United Kingdom.
According to the report, certain bee and butterfly populations have "crashed" in some parts of the U.K. this past year. Some species noted in the report include the globally threatened Arctic tern, which experienced a clear decline the National Trust described as "very shocking."
"There have been alarming declines this year in some insect species, including bees, butterflies, moths, and wasps, while many seabirds have also been 'hammered' by unstable weather patterns caused by the climate emergency," according to the Guardian.
Ben McCarthy, the National Trust's head of nature conservation and restoration ecology, emphasized the climate crisis as the key factor in the species decline. He informed the Guardian that the "drier conditions since the summer of 2022 and through much of 2023 to a very wet and mild 2024 — bookended by fierce storms — had had a 'devastating impact.'"
When one species' population declines, it triggers a domino effect that impacts the entire ecosystem. Declines in bees and butterflies, for example, affect the reproduction of plant species. Pollinators, especially, play a crucial role in protecting our food supply.
Rising global temperatures are impacting ecosystems as countries continue to use dirty energy. With warmer temperatures come more powerful and frequent storms, which are threatening the survival of many species.
"The unpredictability of the weather and blurring of the seasons is adding additional stresses to our struggling wildlife," McCarthy told the Guardian. "The overall trends are alarming."
Scientists and conservationists are sounding the alarm, as the impact of rising temperatures is now more apparent on different species. While certain insect and bird populations in the U.K. are declining because of the climate crisis, some species are bouncing back thanks to conservation efforts.
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Recent conservation projects have helped revive some species in the U.K., including one of the world's rarest bird species. The British government has also prioritized conservation by appointing the first-ever nature envoy specifically tasked with combating environmental decline.
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