Europe’s Wild Pollinators Face Alarming Decline, IUCN Warns

TDT | Manama

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The survival of Europe’s wild pollinators is under growing threat, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned, after declaring dozens of bee and butterfly species as endangered in its latest assessment.

The report highlights an escalating crisis for pollinators across the continent, driven by habitat destruction and climate change. Almost all of Europe’s flowering plants depend on wild pollinators—especially bees—but many species are now being pushed toward extinction.

According to the IUCN’s updated Red List of Threatened Species, at least 172 out of 1,928 wild bee species are now at risk of disappearing, compared with 77 species in 2014. The findings come from the most comprehensive review ever conducted on the status of Europe’s wild bees.

“Wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” said Denis Michez from the University of Mons, who led the research. “If wild bees vanish, countless wild plants — including flower-rich meadows and orchids — could follow.”

The outlook for butterflies is similarly bleak. The number of threatened European butterfly species has risen by 76 percent over the past decade, the IUCN said. Over 40 percent of Europe’s unique butterfly species are now considered threatened or near-threatened. One, the Madeiran large white butterfly, native to the Portuguese island of Madeira, has already been declared extinct.

“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are vital to our health, food systems, and economies,” said IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar. “They sustain the fruits, vegetables, and seeds that feed us.”

The report emphasizes that up to 90 percent of Europe’s flowering plants rely on insect pollination, including 80 percent of crops and wildflowers.

Habitat loss remains the most serious danger, with intensive farming and forestry practices destroying the flower-rich landscapes that pollinators depend on. The extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers is also reducing floral diversity and weakening pollinator populations, the IUCN warned.

Environmental experts are now urging European governments to strengthen conservation efforts, restore natural habitats, and promote pollinator-friendly farming to avert what they call a “silent biodiversity crisis.”