Northern Emerald
CR

Northern Emerald

Somatochlora arctica

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_emerald

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Northern Emerald faces severe threats from climate change, which is altering the cold, pristine bog and fen habitats essential for its survival. Habitat degradation from peat extraction, drainage, and development activities further reduces available breeding sites, while the species' limited dispersal ability and specialized habitat requirements make population recovery extremely difficult.

Threat summary

Habitat

Northern Emerald dragonflies inhabit cold, acidic sphagnum bogs, fens, and shallow pools in boreal and subarctic regions. They require pristine wetland environments with slow-moving or still water, typically surrounded by sedges and mosses in areas with cool summer temperatures.

Other threatened species in Corduliidae

Eurasian BaskettailVU

Eurasian Baskettail

Epitheca bimaculata

Unknown
Yellow-spotted EmeraldVU

Yellow-spotted Emerald

Somatochlora flavomaculata

Unknown
Downy EmeraldVU

Downy Emerald

Cordulia aenea

Unknown
Brilliant EmeraldVU

Brilliant Emerald

Somatochlora metallica

Unknown

Threatened in Åland Islands

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
VU

Syndyas nigripes

Unknown
Chrysotus cupreusCR

Chrysotus cupreus

Unknown
VU

narulukkokiiluri

Syntormon filiger

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Northern Emerald classified as Critically Endangered?
Northern Emerald is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Northern Emerald faces severe threats from climate change, which is altering the cold, pristine bog and fen habitats essential for its survival. Habitat degradation from peat extraction, drainage, and development activities further reduces available breeding sites, while the species' limited dispersal ability and specialized habitat requirements make population recovery extremely difficult.
Where does Northern Emerald live?
Northern Emerald occurs in Åland Islands, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, and China (plus 23 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Northern Emerald?
The main threats to Northern Emerald are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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