Macedonian Mountain Grasshopper

Description:

Macedonian Mountain Grasshopper mating pair. Mountain Grasshoppers are high mountain species, as a rule found above the timberline. They are found on open rocky slopes with a sparse vegetation of herbs and grasses. They seem to prefer spots with loose rocks which they use to hide. This species is also found on slopes almost entirely covered by grass and hardly any rocks, and at elevations of 1,730-2,100 m Asl.

Habitat:

Mountain slope at about 2000 m Asl.

Notes:

The Macedonian Mountain Grasshopper (Oropodisma macedonica) is found in the mountains of northern Greece, and in the mountainous areas in the border region between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYR Macedonia), Albania and Kosovo. In Europe, this species is assessed as Vulnerable, since it has a restricted geographic range (occurrence (EOO) is ca 8,900 km²), the population is severely fragmented, it occurs at only seven locations, and there is an inferred continuing decline in the number of mature individuals and in the quality of its habitat, due to livestock grazing. In the EU 28 region, this species is assessed as Endangered, since it has an even smaller geographic range (extent of occurrence (EOO) is 681 km²), the population is also severely fragmented, it occurs at only three locations, and there is an inferred continuing decline in the number of mature individuals and in the quality of its habitat, due to livestock grazing. (http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1...)