The song of the crickets is a classic of summer nights that, if we do not remedy it, in the future it will be just a memory that we will tell our grandchildren. And it is that a good part of the European orthoptera species – order to which the crickets and grasshoppers belong – are seriously threatened. These are the conclusions of a comprehensive report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) , which has analyzed the conservation status of a total of 1,082 species in Europe. A project that has involved a two-year project and in which more than 150 international experts have participated.
Orthoptera are the most threatened group of insects on our continent, reports the IUCN, with 30.2% of species with declining populations , 7.6% stable species and only 3.2% with increasing populations. In addition, the trends of 59% of the species are unknown, probably because these animals are studied much less than more striking groups such as birds and mammals .
Another of the alarming results of the report: of the 739 endemic species – exclusive – of Europe, 231 (more than 30%) are threatened, a figure that is a wake-up call for the European authorities to get the batteries in the matter of conservation, as they have a responsibility to protect these unique species.
An overly aggressive agriculture
The intensification of agriculture leads to the loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitats and poses the main threat to Orthopterans, say IUCN experts. These animals are particularly affected by overgrazing, pasture abandonment, the conversion of scrub and grasslands to cropland, the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and heavy agricultural machinery.
“Europe’s landscape is changing rapidly and this affects many species, including insects so familiar to us such as crickets and grasshoppers, ” explains Jean-Christophe Vié, deputy director of the IUCN Global Species Program. “For these animals to stop being on the brink of extinction , it is necessary to protect and restore their habitats, which can be done through sustainable management, for example by recovering traditional agricultural practices. If we do not act now, we will stop hearing the sound. of crickets in the European grasslands “.
Much more than just protecting a grasshopper
The Orthoptera group is a very important source of food for many other animals, such as birds and reptiles, so its disappearance would also have consequences on the functioning of entire ecosystems. In addition, these species are indicators of the health and biodiversity of grasslands.
If we were to our country, Spain has an important responsibility, as the south of treasures continent the highest biodiversity and the Iberian Peninsula is one of the hotspot or ‘hot spots of diversity’ where a large number of endemic species is concentrated.
In addition to aggressive agricultural practices, other factors such as fire are at the origin of the decline of crickets and grasshoppers: the Canarian cicada ( Calliphona alluaudi ), in danger of extinction , lost about a quarter of its population due to a fire that it was produced in 2007. In addition, other coastal species find their main threats in urbanization and unsustainable tourist exploitation.
“The results of this Red List are very worrying,” says Luc Bas, director of the IUCN European Regional Office. “Healthy populations of these insects are key to maintaining sustainable ecosystems in Europe, which provide the basis for social and economic well-being. The European Commission has recognized that the EU directives on the conservation of the nature “.
The report recommends the establishment of an Orthoptera surveillance program to obtain more information on their demographic trends. We hope that this is the case and that we can continue, for many years, to listen to the crickets chirping on summer nights.
