Wildlife

Wild Dragonfly Habitat and Wetland Conservation

Dragonflies and damselflies are declining globally as wetland habitats are drained and polluted.

Key Facts

16% of dragonfly and damselfly species are threatened with extinction globally
Freshwater wetland loss is the primary driver of dragonfly decline
Dragonflies are predators whose decline signals wider freshwater ecosystem problems
UK dragonfly populations have fared better than many countries due to habitat restoration

Welfare Considerations

While dragonfly sentience is debated, their decline represents the loss of billions of individual animals from ecosystems they have inhabited for 300 million years. Each destroyed wetland removes the habitat for thousands of individuals at all life stages. Wetland conservation that supports dragonflies benefits hundreds of other water-dependent species, creating a cascade of positive welfare and ecological outcomes.

What You Can Do

Create or restore wetland habitat in gardens with wildlife ponds
Support drainage and wetland restoration projects
Donate to British Dragonfly Society and wetland conservation organisations
Advocate for stronger protections for remaining wetland habitats