Sierra Nevada Blue(Polyommatus Rlebicula Golgus) is a gorgeous butterfly spotted in Aro Mediterranean and Crior Mediterranean plantation habitat in Spain. Sierra Nevada Blue is pigeonholed as endangered on the Spanish list of threatened species and in the Andalusian catalogue of threatened species due to the constant negligence of humans. The Sierra Nevada Blue is found in five major regions (Sierra Nevada Valley, Sierra de Cazario, Sierra Seca, Siera Gulimona and La Sagra) occupying an area of about14 UTM squares. Gender dimorphism is easily visible as males possess bright blue coloured upside wings compared to the dark brown wings of females. The species is endemic to Iberian peninsular, usually found at the average altitude of 2150 m to…show more content… Nowadays, the extensive tourism activities even account for habitat destruction as many tourists would opt for shortcuts instead of traditional footpaths. In the valley trampling alone contributes for 13 percent of habitat destruction. Also, many tourists used to kill butterflies for there specimens. Fortunately, the illegal practice has come to an end due to severe fines and prosecution. The current main threat to the butterfly population in the valley is the habitat destruction due to urban development. A lot of infrastructural development has taken place during the period of winter sports ruining the biodiversity of the valley. One of the viable examples can be the enlargement of the ski resort in 1995 which lead to the alteration in the natural course of Monachill river resulting in water pollution, waste accumulation and nitrogen deposition. Agriculture intensification involving changes in the management of semi-natural grasslands cause habitat fragmentation leading to land degradation challenging the sustenance of Sierra Nevada Blue. Extensive grazing and livestock abandonment had lead to overgrazing causing destruction of larval flora resulting in scarcity of fodder for butterflies giving rise to the requirement of conservation
