Species that have recently returned
Some of the species that had disappeared from the Netherlands have recently returned spontaneously.
Trends in the yellow-legged dragonfly
De yellow-legged dragonfly lives along clean, sandy rivers, where its larvae can be found in warm, slow-flowing water. The last sighting of the yellow-legged dragonfly was in 1902, until it was recorded again several years ago, along the Waal near Nijmegen. Since then the species has been sighted in various places along that river, but also along the Rijn and the IJssel. The return of this species is ascribed to the Dutch rivers becoming cleaner, plus the warmer climate.
Trends in Ophiogomphus cecilia
Ophiogomphus cecilia is a dragonfly species that used to be found along the Maas and its tributaries, but which in 1936 was assumed to have gone extinct in the Netherlands. In the mid-1990s, however, Ophiogomphus cecilia was again sighted in the Netherlands, in a nature development creation project along the Geleenbeek near Weustenrade. In 2000 came the first sighting of the species along the Roer near Melick.
Trends in Alburnoides bipunctatus
Alburnoides bipunctatus is a fish species found in clean water flowing over a bed of gravel or coarse sand. When the dam was built at Bergharen in 1935 it disappeared from the Jeker and Maas and thus from the Netherlands. Alburnoides bipunctatus was sighted again in 1995, in the lower reaches of the Geul.
Trends in the little egret
In the 19th century breeding colonies of the little egret were exterminated because the birds supplied decorative feathers for the millinery trade. In 1979, the species again nested in the Netherlands, in the Oostvaardersplassen. The next time breeding was reported was in 1994, in the Quackjeswater on Voorne. Since then the little egret has nested annually and it is expanding: in 1998 there were 4 to 6 breeding pairs, in 1999, 2000 and 2001 there were respectively 9, 20 and 25.
Trends in the dwarf rush
The dwarf rush has critical status. This plant species used to occur in depressions dug out of sandy or loam soil, in dune slacks and on little beaches left when brooks or rivers were at low level. The last time the plant was recorded was in 1975, on Terschelling, but in 1997 it was found in a roadside ditch in Twente. A year later it appeared in three areas in Noord-Brabant, and by 2001 it was known to be in six localities from which the nutrient-rich topsoil had been stripped. As a result of natural succession the species is again declining in the new locations, because its habitat is being grown over by ruderal vegetation and scrub. This pioneer species survives only if new open patches are regularly created.
