Spanish Festoon
CR

Spanish Festoon

Zerynthia rumina

UnknownLCEULCEU

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

Overview

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

The Spanish Festoon faces severe population declines across its Mediterranean range due to habitat destruction from urban development, agricultural intensification, and infrastructure projects that fragment its specialized breeding areas. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns and increased drought frequency, while the species' dependence on specific host plants makes it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

Threat summary

Habitat

Mediterranean scrubland, rocky hillsides, and open woodlands with abundant Aristolochia host plants, typically found in calcareous soils at elevations from sea level to 1,500 meters. The species requires areas with good sun exposure and shelter from strong winds, often favoring south-facing slopes and valley bottoms.

Other threatened species in Papilionidae

Southern SwallowtailVU

Southern Swallowtail

Papilio alexanor

Unknown
Scarce SwallowtailVU

Scarce Swallowtail

Iphiclides podalirius

Unknown
Eastern FestoonCR

Eastern Festoon

Zerynthia cerisy

Unknown
ApolloVU

Apollo

Parnassius apollo

Unknown

Threatened in Algeria

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
CR

Sahara Killifish

Apricaphanius saourensis

Declining
Blind SnailVU

Blind Snail

Cecilioides acicula

Unknown
EN

Chafarinas' Skink

Chalcides parallelus

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Spanish Festoon classified as Critically Endangered?
Spanish Festoon 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 Spanish Festoon faces severe population declines across its Mediterranean range due to habitat destruction from urban development, agricultural intensification, and infrastructure projects that fragment its specialized breeding areas. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns and increased drought frequency, while the species' dependence on specific host plants makes it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Where does Spanish Festoon live?
Spanish Festoon occurs in Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and France (plus 11 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 Spanish Festoon?
The main threats to Spanish Festoon 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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