Friends of the Earth calls on Europeans to count butterflies

Friends of the Earth in Germany, Italy and Switzerland together with the Dutch Vlinderstichting call for a nationwide butterfly counting on the 1st and 2nd of July. The count is to take place during the 1st International Butterfly Day.

The four organisations with a total of more than half a million members cooperate for the conservation of butterflies in Europe. Everyone can take part by counting butterflies. Delivered data will help experts formulate an estimation of the distribution of the different species in the participating countries.

The 1st International Butterfly Day is the beginning of a pan-European campaign, other organisation are invited to join in upcoming years.

Some species of butterflies in Europe are highly endangered . Up to 80 % of these insect species are on the Red List of Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Italy. In most cases, the reasons for their decline are due to loss of habitat, pollution of their food resources with pesticides. Climate change also endangers butterflies.

Friends of the Earth in Germany is called Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), in Italy Amici della Terra and in Switzerland Pro Natura.

For more information pls. contact:

• Mark Hörstermann, BUND e.V., mark.hoerstermann@bund.net

• Franziska Zoller-Wüthrich, Pro Natura, franziska.zoller@pronatura.ch

• Dr. Irma Wynhoff , Vlinderstichting, irma.wynhoff@vlinderstichting.nl

• Dr. Enzo Moretto, Amici della Terra, info@butterflyarc.it