Lack of insects could see wildlife disappear

THE RSPB has warned London could become a wildlife-free zone because of a lack of insects.

The organisation says one of the first species expected to become extinct in the capital is the sparrow.

It is planning an event on Sunday to raise awareness of the issue at Bernie Spain Gardens, near the Oxo Tower.

A report concluded that house sparrows are in serious decline because of a lack of insects. However, the RSPB claims the changes to the ecosystem are affecting hundreds of species. "We can prevent London from becoming a wildlife-free zone," said Tim Webb of the RSPB.

House sparrows were once so common people were paid to kill them in the capital. They have now been put on a "red list" of species threatened with extinction, and are absent from many parts of central London.

In the Twenties, a survey found 2,600 sparrows in Kensington Gardens. By the year 2000, that figure had dropped to just eight.