Vlora: bright yellow, black, red and blue, Alexander butterfly once abounded in the flower slopes of southwestern Albania. Scientists say they, like many other species, are becoming extinct due to human impacts such as climate change.
The endangered Alexanor in the picturesque Zwernec district is one of 58 of the 207 species of butterflies in the Balkans, researchers say.
“They are sensitive to changes, they are a real mirror of the state of the ecosystem they live in,” said Anila Paparisto, an entomologist at the University of Tirana.
In Zwerneck, Paparisto leads a team of researchers and students working to identify endangered butterfly species.
Many scientific studies have measured the effects of climate change on butterfly populations, but researchers also point to other environmental factors.
They blame a combination of rapid urbanization, pesticides and warming temperatures for the decline.
“Human activity and climate change have a huge impact on nature,” says Fjona Skenderi, a biology student who helps with research at Zwernec.
In nearby Divjaka Nature Park, Albanian agronomist Altin Hila points to the loss of giant peacocks and leopards as another worrying sign.
“It was a weather disturbance, early spring and very high temperatures in January and February,” explained Hila, a collector and curator of the butterfly museum in Divjaka.
The decline of butterflies also affects other species.
“This will affect the entire food chain and biodiversity that humans need,” said Paparisto.
“When there are fewer butterflies, you expect … a butterfly effect.”
Like much of Albania, the coastal area near Zvernek is overpopulated with spas and resorts built with less control.
Scientists say the region’s rapid urbanization, along with overfishing and climate change, have also played a role in the dramatic decline in migratory bird numbers.
While some butterfly populations are declining, other similar species are flourishing – to the detriment of the environment.
According to experts, since 2019, the arrival of non-native beetles through the import of ornamental plants from China has destroyed more than 80 percent of Albania’s box forests.
“It is very aggressive, it can breed three to four times a year and it is a real disaster to destroy the whole land,” said forester Avdulla Diku.
The larvae, with their distinctive neon green and black bodies, easily attach themselves to the leaves and stems of boxwoods.
On the road to Pogradec in northwestern Albania, along Lake Ohrid, rows of once-green plants turn to husks after being eaten by caterpillars.
“This is a strong reminder of the fragility and delicate balance of the environment we live in,” said entomological researcher Sylvain Cuvelier, author of the first Albanian butterfly atlas.
“It is important to join our efforts to rethink the way forward to find solutions, use our natural resources and protect and restore our environment.”
