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Butterflies face extinction as Wildflowers vanish Spectacular species could soon be a distant memory because changes in agriculture and forestry have forced them from their natural habitat. Four of Britains 59 butterfly species have become extinct and of those remaining, the populations of 30 have declined substansially. The loss of 97 % of flower rich grasslands has been a major factor, together with declining areas of fens, lowland heaths, meadows, peat bogs and ancient woodlands. Losers of the new millennium include the Large Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Silver spotted skipper, fritillaries and the Adonis blue.
More than 150 British plant and animal species have become extinct this century, victims of intensive farming, unscrupulous collectors, climate change and urban development.