Suche
Mein Konto
Gravel bank grasshopper in East Tyrol: threatened with extinction!
The gravel bank grasshopper, classified as critically endangered, has disappeared in East Tyrol. Protective measures are urgently needed.
Gravel bank grasshopper in East Tyrol: threatened with extinction!
The current situation of the gravel bar grasshopper (Chorthippus pullus) in East Tyrol is worrying. The wild river specialist is considered “highly endangered” and only occurs sporadically in Austria. Reports from Dolomite town show that the species prefers to live in periodically flooded gravel banks with dense vegetation. Historical evidence in the region comes from the Isel, Drau, Schwarzach and Frauenbach rivers, but all finds date back more than a decade.
After intensive research over three years, the gravel bank grasshopper could no longer be found in the Isel and its backwaters. The species is classified as missing from all rivers in East Tyrol. An atypical residual occurrence outside a body of water was discovered, but only two individuals exist. This frightening news highlights the urgency of targeted protective measures and the preservation of suitable habitats.
Habitat and threats
The distribution of the gravel bar grasshopper is severely restricted. The biological characteristics of this short-sensing insect, which belongs to the family of field locusts (Acrididae), include a body length between 12 mm and 22 mm. Males are usually darker in color, while females have a more gray-brown or rarely yellowish surface. A striking feature are the two dark spots on the hind legs and the bright blood-red hind shins. Loud Wikipedia The animals are active from July to October and male animals produce characteristic whirring sounds.
The main threat to the population of the gravel bar grasshopper is the destruction of its habitats. In Germany, the species is classified as threatened with extinction (category 1) on the Red List of Endangered Species, which underlines the seriousness of this issue. Ecology page emphasizes that regardless of their legal protection status, all species on the Red List deserve special protection.
Conservation measures and outlook
The Isel is heavily affected by structural measures that limit the formation of natural gravel banks. Annual dredging affects the remaining relic deposits. Despite this serious situation, there are positive developments in the Natura 2000 area “East Tyrol glacier rivers Isel, Schwarzach and Kalserbach” that could potentially bring new hope for the gravel bank grasshopper.
With targeted protective measures, the remaining habitats could be secured and the population rehabilitated. However, if immediate steps are not taken, the gravel bar grasshopper could disappear from the region for good.