Libellula Angelina (Scientific Name: Libellula angelina Selys), also known as Bekko Tombo, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae, native to China and Japan. It is under threat by rapid loss of the ponds and other small water bodies it uses as habitat and is currently classified as critically endangered by the IUCN.
On June 15th , China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) got a call from the Director of its China Conservation Area for Libellula Angelina at Tianjin (CCAfa), claimed that at the end of April 2019, along with other insects enthusiasts, found dozens of critically endangered insects Libellula Angelina and photographed in a pond in a park in Tianjin. But unfortunately, as soon as these dozens of Libellula Angelina were found, they faced a serious crisis of survival. According to Director Lou, the park’s pond will be under completely construction in the fall of 2019, the surrounding vegetation will be completely removed, and the pond will be cleaned and replaced. As an aquatic insect and highly demanding on the environment, it is expected that these dozens of Libellula Angelina will basically face complete extinction after the construction project starts.
Tianjin, China, as a sporadic place of Libellula Angelina, the only recently discovered record of this species of insect, was back in the year of 2005. Due to the acceleration of the urban construction process in recent years, the volunteers went to the discovery site again and found that the lake there had completely become to be without any Libellula Angelina at all. After more than a decade, Libellula Angelina is back in sight, and it was also a cause for concern.
Libellula Angelina extremely demanding on the environment of water quality and cannot live in the streams, but rather requires still water from ponds or lakes with aquatic plants such as reeds. Adults have a short survival period, and larvae live in the water until they can be feathered in the second year. It can be found again in the park of Tianjin, indicating that there are traditional natural ecosystem environments suitable for their survival.
However, this extremely good living habitat is facing a crisis again now. To this end, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) particularly wrote to the relevant departments of Tianjin to request support for the protection of endangered wild species mainly including Libellula Angelina, as well as to protect the CBCGDF “China Conservation Area for Libellula Angelina at Tianjin”.
CBCGDF’s several recommendations include:
1. It is recommended to immediately stop the construction of the park pond and its surrounding ecosystem.
2. It is recommended that the Tianjin Natural Resources Bureau, the Forestry Bureau and other relevant departments immediately take effective measures to support the relevant protection work and strengthen the protection of the vegetation around the pond. The volunteers’ team of the CBCGDF CCAfa is willing to give vigorous cooperation.
3. It is recommended to prohibit the destruction of the pond's ecological environment, such as fishing in the pond and going down the net.
4. It is recommended to support CBCGDF CCAfa to establish slogans and signs near the park pond to advocate the protection of Libellula Angelina, encouraging people to care for and protect endangered species.
5. It is recommended that this CCAfa and its surrounding areas be included in the “Tianjin Ecological Land Protection Red Line Delineation Plan” as a permanent protection ecological zone, and a permanent ban on development to achieve permanent protection.
(The relevant work has received the support of relevant experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the gratitude is specially expressed.)
(Photo credit: CBCGDF CCAfa volunteers)
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4855/8937.html
By / Niu Jingmei