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Dragonfly Decline: India's Western Ghats Face Crisis
5 May
Summary
- One-third of India's dragonfly species may be extinct.
- Surveyed Western Ghats habitats show a 35% species decline.
- Urbanisation and habitat degradation threaten freshwater ecosystems.
A recent two-year survey conducted in India's Western Ghats has uncovered a significant and concerning decline in dragonfly and damselfly populations. Researchers from the Maharashtra Institute of Technology-World Peace University documented a potential extinction of approximately one-third of known species in the region, considered a global biodiversity hotspot.
The study, spanning February 2021 to March 2023, surveyed diverse freshwater habitats. Findings indicate that only 65% of historically recorded odonate species were found, suggesting a 35% 'missing' population. This alarming trend is attributed to escalating threats including infrastructure development, pollution, land-use changes, unregulated tourism, and climate change.
Dragonflies and damselflies are considered vital 'indicator taxa' due to their sensitivity to environmental shifts. Their diminished presence in the Western Ghats strongly suggests a decline in the ecological health of local water bodies and potential threats to other freshwater-dependent species. This situation mirrors a broader global trend of insect population decline.
