The lérot is the animal of the year 2022
To ensure the survival of this rodent, Pro Natura calls for the creation of more forest reserves in Switzerland.
The lérot, which lives only in Europe, currently hibernates. But more and more of these rodents are threatened with a difficult awakening in spring, alert Pro Natura on Sunday.
KEYSTONE
The lérot was chosen as animal of the year 2022 by Pro Natura. By designating this rodent, cousin of the dormouse, the environmental protection organization calls for better protection of wild nature, especially in the forest.
The lérot, which lives only in Europe, currently hibernates. But more and more of these rodents are threatened with a difficult awakening in spring, alert Pro Natura on Sunday in a press release. Indeed, when the lérot leaves its hiding place in April, it often does not find either natural forests or diverse rural landscapes.
Decreasing
In the 19th century, the lérot was still present in all regions of Switzerland. It was even more widespread than the dormouse. Thanks to its adaptability as a species linked to crops, it has survived the decline of the natural forest, its original habitat. It has found alternate habitat in traditional cultivated landscapes with large gardens, wooded pastures, hedges and vast tall-stemmed orchards.
But in recent decades, the population of leotards has been declining sharply. This is why it is now on the World Red List of Threatened Species (“Near Threatened” category). In Switzerland, it is still considered “not threatened”, although there are now considerable gaps in its range, notes Pro Natura.
“Insufficient” efforts
To ensure the survival of the lérot and the some 25,000 species that depend on wild spaces in the forest, the nature defense organization calls on the Confederation and the cantons to create more forest reserves.
At the end of 2018, barely 6.3% of Switzerland’s forest area was protected within forest reserves. This share should increase to 10% by 2030. Efforts deemed “deeply insufficient in a context of biodiversity collapse” by the organization.
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