Constant Exposure from Extreme Weather Drastically Impacts UK Wildlife

Because of a series of weather extremes, UK wildlife will be "devastated" in 2022. According to the National Trust's annual audit, wildlife like toads, bats, birds, and butterflies had a bad year.

(Photo : by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Struggling Wildlife

According to a top conservation organization, this year's erratic weather, which included ferocious storms, scorching heat, and extreme cold snaps, has decimated some of the UK's most valuable plants and animals.

Animals ranging from toads and bats to birds and butterflies, as well as large trees and meadowland flowers, have a very tough time surviving due to the severe circumstances.

The National Trust said the climate emergency meant that what in 2002 seemed like extraordinary occurrences were likely to become the new norm, posing severe difficulties for many species. The National Trust publishes an annual Christmas audit of how the year's weather has impacted wildlife.

Keith Jones, the charity's expert on the climate catastrophe, said: "This year's weather has been difficult for wildlife. Like us, nature has to deal with a new litany of weather extremes due to drought, high temperatures, back-to-back storms, unseasonal heat, a cold snap, and floods.

"It is a striking picture of the challenges that many of our species will face if we don't do more to reduce warming and support the survival of nature.

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Experts are Worried

"Experts in the field of weather forecast more intense downpours in the future, combined with arid and scorching summers. If we don't reduce our carbon emissions, we'll see an increase in floods, droughts, heatwaves, severe storms, and wildfires, which will worsen before getting better and breaking records more often.

Wildfires that ravaged heathland regions in Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset were among the most egregious effects of the scorching summer. These flames destroyed species' habitats, including the silver-studded blue butterfly, endangered sand lizards, and smooth snakes.

There were more unanticipated effects of the heat. In Wallington, Northumberland, rangers discovered juvenile bats who were thirsty and confused during the summer's height. They used small pipettes to rehydrate the bats before putting them in a cooler, darker location so they could rest, heal, and fly back to their colony at night.

Pollinators were impacted by the drought-induced shortened blooming season. Due to diminished food supplies during their prime summer season, several butterfly species had a bad year.

The black darter, the smallest resident dragonfly in the UK, has been declining in numbers for half a century, so researchers were surprised to find none at Black Down in the South Downs national park this year, one of its strongholds. There is concern that the black darter larvae won't survive since the summer was too dry.

The alert had been raised, according to Ben McCarthy, the National Trust's director of nature conservation: "Some ecosystems, such wetlands, and grasslands, entirely dried up in some locations, affecting all those animals that call them home."

As blooming plants shriveled and died, many species suffered, with noticeable drops in the population of flying insects like butterflies and bumblebees.

Other Side of the Coin

Some animals would adapt more readily than others, he said. "Wildlife that uses a variety of habitats, or so-called generalist species, are better equipped to react to the challenges of harsh weather because there is more area to sustain them, like robins, wood pigeons, or common blue butterflies that we may see in our gardens.

"However, species with more stringent requirements are more susceptible since particular demands often constrain them. For instance, farming birds like cirl buntings need seeds in the winter and insects in the summer. In contrast, marsh fritillary butterflies need moist meadows with healthy populations of plants like devil's-bit scabious, which the caterpillars eat.

These species are now facing the greatest difficulties, and they need our assistance to connect habitats and strengthen the adaptability of landscapes.