A new study has raised alarm over a growing ecological crisis in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots, after researchers found that nearly 35 percent of the region’s dragonfly and damselfly species are now missing.
The two year survey, conducted between 2021 and 2023 across 144 locations in the mountain range, documented only 143 species of Odonata the insect group that includes dragonflies and damselflies representing roughly 65 percent of the area’s known diversity.
Researchers say the decline is a major warning sign for the health of freshwater ecosystems in the region.
The study was led by Dr. Pankaj Koparde, who described the disappearance of dragonflies and damselflies as an indicator of deeper environmental stress. Because these insects depend entirely on freshwater habitats throughout their life cycles, they are often among the first species affected when rivers, wetlands, and forest streams begin to deteriorate.
Scientists warn that the loss of Odonata populations may signal broader ecological instability across the Western Ghats, a mountain chain stretching nearly 1,600 kilometres along India’s western coast.
Often referred to as India’s ecological backbone, the Western Ghats play a critical role in regulating climate, water systems, and biodiversity across the subcontinent. The mountains intercept moisture laden winds from the Arabian Sea, generating rainfall that feeds major rivers such as the Godavari River, Krishna River, and Cauvery River.
According to Dr. Sarita Sachdeva of Manav Rachna International Institute, the forests of the Western Ghats are essential for groundwater recharge, maintaining stream flow, stabilising regional climate patterns, and storing carbon.
The region is also internationally recognised for its extraordinary biodiversity and is home to several endemic and endangered species, including the Lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri tahr.
However, researchers say increasing human pressure is rapidly fragmenting the ecosystem. Expanding plantations, agricultural activities, urbanisation, and mining operations have contributed to significant forest loss over recent decades.
Habitat fragmentation is disrupting wildlife movement corridors and threatening species that rely on connected forest landscapes for survival. Large mammals such as elephants are increasingly forced into human settlements as traditional migratory routes disappear, intensifying human-animal conflict.
Smaller species are facing even greater risks. Scientists warn that frogs, insects, and freshwater dependent organisms are highly vulnerable to habitat destruction and changing rainfall patterns, leading in some cases to local extinctions.
Dr. Koparde said the decline of dragonflies should not be viewed as an isolated phenomenon but as part of a wider ecological shift affecting the Western Ghats ecosystem.
Environmental experts say the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger conservation measures, sustainable land-use planning, and protection of freshwater habitats before biodiversity losses become irreversible.
Researchers caution that the consequences of ecological degradation in the Western Ghats extend far beyond the region itself, potentially affecting water security, climate stability, and livelihoods for millions of people across India.