The Macedonian Grayling is a criticially endangered species. However, this investigation supported by Journalismfund's Environmental Investigative Journalism grant programme, documented evidence of ongoing illegal trade in the species, both online and offline, despite existing national protections.
As a follow-up to this project, there is a proposal to include the Macedonian Grayling in the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), at the 20th CITES Conference of the Parties which will take place in Samarkand in November 2025.
The Macedonian Grayling is endemic to a small limestone region near the Pletvar Pass in central North Macedonia. Its known habitat covers less than 10 square kilometres across seven microsites. The species is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed on North Macedonia’s national list of protected species. However, it remains under pressure from collectors, with confirmed instances of international trade in violation of conservation regulations.
Listing the species in CITES Appendix I would make international commercial trade of this species illegal and provide a stronger juridical framework to support enforcement efforts. Conservation advocates argue that such a measure is necessary to address the demonstrated threat from trafficking and to reinforce ongoing efforts to protect this and other vulnerable invertebrates in the region. This petition can be signed to urge the formal submission of this proposal by the Macedonian government.
On the right: Photograph by Velian Jagev.
UPDATE:
The initiative to put the Macedonian Grayling, the most endangered butterfly in Europe, under protection, has not been successful. The plan to place this species on the list of protected species under the International Convention on the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has not materialized. The Institute of Communication Studies, in cooperation with the international organisation for the protection of wild species from trade Pro Wildlife, has been trying to present all the facts and scientific materials to the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning – which was supposed to be the main applicant for the application to the Convention on behalf of the country – for almost ten months.
Eventually, all attempts were unsuccessful. The initiative was not met with interest in the Ministry, which resulted in the missed deadline for submitting an official application to the CITES Convention Assembly, this fall in Uzbekistan. This form of international protection from illegal trade is the only way to, at least somehow, protect this species from complete extinction. Meanwhile, this rare butterfly remains unprotected from illegal trade, but also due to the constant destruction of its habitat. To find out how the whole process unfolded, watch the video.
