Target: Brian Nesvick, Director of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Goal: Protect nation’s bioluminescent beetles from endangerment and eventual extinction.
Watching night skies light up with dozens of bursts of glowing light is a summer tradition in many parts of America and the world. Countless childhoods are filled with memories of capturing these wondrous lights for a brief moment before setting them free back into nature. But thanks to multiple factors – including habitat loss, pesticide use, and water pollution – these traditions have rapidly faded…and may one day disappear altogether.
Bioluminescent beetles – aka fireflies, lightning bugs, moon bugs, or glow worms – are in danger of extinction in roughly 18 different species. In North America alone, an estimated 14 percent of the bioluminescent beetle population has been deemed “threatened.” A massive 30-year study from one of the regions where these insects are most populous, Brazil, revealed severe decline of the beetles in prominent national parks. The numbers of at-risk species could be higher, as data analysis for many of these beetles remains sparse.
Sign the petition below to encourage more investment in research and robust plans of action that could save one of the world’s smallest natural wonders from vanishing forever.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Nesvick,
Nearly 15 percent of firefly, glow worm, and other bioluminescent beetle species in North America are sliding towards extinction. If they vanish, the results will not only dim skies and cherished childhood memories. The fascinating chemical processes that facilitate these insects’ glowing state are of immense interest to science researchers, who could transform these insights into meaningful real-world applications. And these beautiful insects and their mating rituals that light up skies have been a boon to ecotourism across the country, including a synchronous firefly viewing attraction in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Tracking and data for many of the hundreds of bioluminescent beetle species remains sparse. Support for and investment in enhanced data collection and for subsequent conservation plans could be the difference-makers for these at-risk natural wonders. Please make this investment for the sake of this irreplaceable piece of America’s wildlife legacy.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: NEUROtiker
