A new population of the rare endemic subspecies known as Trovisco-macho was recently discovered on the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores, which could contribute to the maintenance of this protected species, it was announced today.
The information was revealed by the Regional Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Alonso Miguel, during the Regional Meeting of Nature Watchers, which ended today on the island of Santa Maria.
Quoted in a press release published on the official website of the Azorean Government, the minister explains that the discovery of the new population of the rare endemic subspecies called Euphorbia stygiana subsp. santamariae “brings renewed hope” to ensure the maintenance of this “rare and protected species” and to enhance the biodiversity and natural heritage of the region and, in particular, of Santa Maria.
The discovery followed a visit to the site where the endemic Azorean plant is found.
“The suspicion of the existence of a small colony of Euphorbia stygiana subsp. santamariae in Cura Bay arose as a result of a boat visit around the island, as part of the census of terns, carried out by the Santa Maria Environment and Climate Change Service, in which nature watcher Diana Braga observed the specimens that appeared to belong to the species”, says the regional secretary.
“Taking into account that the area is only accessible by sea, a team from the Environment and Climate Change Service went to the site, on the east coast of the island, in the last week of July, and it was possible to confirm that they were specimens of that subspecies”, adds Alonso Miguel.
In a first observation, it is estimated that “the population consists of about 20 individuals”, located in the middle of the Protected Area for the Management of Habitats and Species of Baía do Cura, integrated in the Natural Park of Santa Maria Island.
The head of the Environment also indicates that “given the orography of the site and the difficulty in access, the characterization and conservation of this new population is particularly complex”.
Even so, it guarantees that there will be capacity to collect seeds for propagation in nurseries, with a view to enabling subsequent reinforcement plantations, under the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project.
In addition to the new population, specimens of several other endemic and native species were also observed.
According to the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), until the moment of this discovery “only a single population of Euphorbia stygiana subsp. santamariae was known in the wild, consisting of about 71 specimens”.
Alonso Miguel also emphasizes that “Euphorbia stygiana subsp. santamariae has already been the target of several conservation efforts, under the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project”.
