Dragonflies and Damselflies: Odonata

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists two species as Extinct, meaning that no member of either species is alive. Thirteen species are Critically Endangered, meaning that they face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future, and fifty-five species are Endangered, meaning that they face a very high risk of extinction. Thirty-nine species are classed as Vulnerable, or facing a high risk of extinction, and seventeen are Near Threatened, or at risk of becoming threatened with extinction. For most species, very little is known about their distribution, or geographic range, and habitat preferences. Habitat destruction often prevents scientists from gathering important information that could help conserve species that are threatened by extinction. Programs to preserve dragonfly habitats are under way in Australia, India, Japan, Europe, South Africa, and the United States. Japanese conservation programs, which include the creation of artificial habitats to encourage dragonfly reproduction, are some of the best examples of efforts to conserve dragonflies and their habitats.