Austria butterfly conservation efforts call for public photographic census

The Austrian Environment Agency and the Naturschutzbund have launched a call for public assistance to monitor butterfly populations. Because many butterfly species are highly specialized and rely on specific host plants for their caterpillars, habitat loss and the scarcity of these plants have put several species at risk of extinction.

To create a new ‘Red List of Austria’s Day Butterflies,’ experts are asking citizens to participate in a photographic census. Individuals are encouraged to photograph both caterpillars and butterflies and upload them to the naturbeobachtung.at website or via its dedicated app. This data will help researchers determine the current status of various species and track population trends to implement effective protection measures.