It is thought that 25% of the world population exists within the
United Kingdom but it has declined by 30% since 1960 due to changes in
grazing, land drainage and water abstraction. Places where they are found include the
New Forest, Hampshire,
Oxfordshire and the
Preseli Hills,
Pembrokeshire, where work was being carried out in 2015 to improve habitat, work that was reported in 2020 as successful. In 2009, 500 adults were captured and released in the Venn Ottery nature reserve in
Devon. This nature reserve is owned and managed by the
Devon Wildlife Trust and grazing has been re-introduced there to help encourage this species which had not been recorded there since 1988. The species is protected under Schedule 5 of the
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) male Crockford Stream 2.jpg|male, Crockford Stream, Hampshireno spur on S9 Southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) male Crockford Stream.jpg|male, Crockford Stream, Hampshiretwo spurs on S9 ==Sources==