Rare species of desert rodents could become extinct because of Kakhovka dam destruction – ecologist

The recent disaster of Russian troops blowing up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP) by the Russian invaders may lead to the destruction of the population of the Falz-Fein Desert Stylodipus.

Wildlife conservation expert Oleh Lystopad said this in an interview with Radio Liberty.

As the ecologist noted, the flooding of territories after the Russians blew up the Kakhovka HPP will destroy some species' natural habitat.

Among them is the endemic of the Oleshky sands, Falz-Fein's Stylodipus, which lives in Europe's biggest desert. It is located on the left bank of the Dnieper River near the Russia-occupied city of Oleshky.

"There are also places where red-listed animals live, the Falz-Fein Stylodipus, for example," says the ecologist.

What we know about Falz-Fein Stylodipus

Falz-Fein's Stylodipus is an endemic subspecies with a very small range, limited only to the territory of the Oleshky (or Lower Dnieper) sands.

The economic development of the region, especially the creation of forest plantations, led to a significant fragmentation and reduction of the area of the settlements of this rodent during the last century. This species was singled out by Glover Allen in 1925.

As Rubryka reported, in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, residents of the flooded areas were forbidden to catch, sell and eat fish, as there is a risk of contracting botulism amid the massive fish deaths caused by the Kakhovka dam destruction.

About 10,000 hectares of agricultural land was flooded on the right bank of the Kherson region due to the destruction by the Russian occupiers of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant; the volume is several times larger in the occupied territories.

As Rubryka reported, as of June 6, 2023, it is impossible to establish the actual state of a large part of the reclamation systems in the south of the country because they are located in temporarily occupied territories, and there is no access to them.

What we know about the Kakhovka dam destruction by Russian forces 

As Rubryka reported, on the night of June 6, Russian invaders blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, located a few kilometers from the temporarily occupied city of Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region.

As a result of the dam's destruction, the water in the Kakhovka reservoir began to fall rapidly, threatening to flood.

Yesterday, June 6, it became known that 24 settlements have already been flooded, and water will continue to arrive during the day.

Residents continue to save themselves from the high water in Kherson and take out their stores, and residents of coastal communities leave their already flooded houses.

As we reported, the Russian occupying forces blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, and the HPP cannot be restored.