More than 60% of Finland’s butterfly species have shifted ranges

More than 60 percent of the butterfly species known in Finland have changed their distribution ranges, Yle reported on Wednesday.

Globally, one in 10 known butterfly species has shifted its range, according to a study published on Wednesday. The international study analysed more than 6,000 distribution measurements across 105 countries.

Nearly 80 percent of the observed changes were linked to climate change and extreme weather. Changes in land use also often destroy butterflies’ habitats.

The researchers said butterfly species should be monitored globally and in a coordinated way.

“Butterflies act as early indicators of environmental change. If changes in their distribution ranges are this dramatic, it signals profound changes in ecosystems,” Marjo Saastamoinen, a professor at the University of Helsinki, said in a press release.