Where are all the bees and butterflies? UK’s wildlife is in drastic decline, which struck me after 28 years in Hong Kong

Development, climate change, pesticides and pollution have all taken their toll in the UK, with a huge number of wildlife species at risk of disappearing

Awareness has grown and there are now national efforts to preserve vulnerable species; those with gardens are encouraged to ensure they are wildlife friendly

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Bees and butterflies have been in dramatic decline in the UK in recent years, while a significant portion of the country’s wildlife is at risk of disappearing all together. Photo: Shutterstock

A journalist for more than 30 years, Cliff Buddle began his career as a court reporter in London and moved to Hong Kong in 1994 to join the SCMP.

Published: 2:15pm, 21 Apr 2024

Last week I witnessed a murder. A male pheasant, a beautiful bird, ventured on the road in my village. I watched in horror as a white van ploughed straight into it. Carnage!

English country roads are, sadly, littered with a variety of dead animals from birds to badgers, rabbits and foxes. But the threat goes far beyond roadkill. Much of Britain’s wildlife is in the grip of a disturbing decline.

A landmark State of Nature report in 2023 revealed almost one in six of 10,000 species studied are at risk of disappearing from the country. This includes 43 per cent of bird species, 31 per cent of amphibians and reptiles, 26 per cent of mammals and 54 per cent of flowering plants.

I was struck, on returning to England in 2022 after 28 years in Hong Kong, by the lack of bees and butterflies.

People in the UK with gardens are being encouraged to make them more wildlife friendly, such as by not mowing their grass. Photo: Shutterstock

Development, climate change, pesticides and pollution have taken their toll. The natural habitat of many species is shrinking. Awareness has grown and there are now national efforts to preserve vulnerable species.