A researcher surveying the Great Fen in Cambridgeshire for newts recently found something even more exciting: a great silver water beetle, which was last spotted in the area in 1938, the BBC reported.
The researcher, Henry Stanier, described his discovery. "I was staring down at a much bigger beetle nearly 4 centimeters in size and unlike the others, which are black and yellow, this was jet black and looking very different. ... That's when we got very excited," he said.
The discovery of the beetle is a hallmark of the success of the ongoing Great Fen Restoration Project, which is seeking to return the area to its natural state last seen some 400 years ago. The fens of Eastern England were drained in the 17th century to make way for farmland, resulting in 99% of the wild fen being destroyed.
Now, several environmental groups are working together to transform the area into a "prosperous and sustainable environment, rich in wildlife." They began their work in 2001, purchasing some of the land and working with local farmers on other parts. The discovery of a long-missing insect species shows that they are definitely on the right track.
"[The great silver water beetle has] conservation importance because invertebrates are part of the mosaic of life within reserves," Stanier said. "They make them function effectively, so having a new species, or rather species, return to the Great Fen is a very positive move."
Just as humans have made life extremely difficult for many plant, animal, and insect species by polluting and destroying the environment, it is also possible for human efforts to help these species recover.
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Other recent examples of conservation successes include the return of wild Iberian lynx to Portugal and Spain, the California red-legged frog thriving in a wildland preserve, and an endangered crayfish species beginning to rebound in Tennessee.
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