European red list of saproxylic beetles

The European Red List is a review of the conservation status of c. 6,000 European species (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fishes, butterflies, dragonflies, and selected groups of beetles, molluscs, and vascular plants) according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the regional level - in order that appropriate conservation action can be taken to improve their status. This publication summarises results for a selection of Europe's native species of saproxylic beetles. Nearly 11% of these species are threatened with extinction at the European level as a result of threats including habitat loss and degradation due to logging and wood harvesting, agricultural expansion and intensification, urban sprawl, forest fires and climate change. The loss of ancient and veteran trees at continental scale is a cause for considerable concern.