Rare beetle named after Hitler facing extinction due to Neo-Nazi collectors
A rare beetle named after Adolf Hitler is facing extinction due to its demand as a neo-Nazi collector's item.
Fascists have been collecting the tiny brown blind beetle since they can sell for up to £1,200 per bug. The creepy crawlies were discovered by German entomologist and Hitler fan Oskar Scheibel in 1933, who named it Anophthalmus hitleri. The first part is the Greek word for without eye and the second part was a nod to Hitler who had just become Chancellor in Germany.
But over recent decades the insect has been sought-after by right-wing extremists which has led to its numbers dwindling in the wild and has sparked concern it could disappear altogether. The rare beetle is only found in about 15 caves in central Slovenia, is protected under law and poaching them is illegal. But the nearby Italian border makes for easy access for poachers where insect hunting is allowed. The name has sparked a debate amongst scientists who worry about its extinction and want the beetle to be renamed to wean off demand. However other academics have argued changing a species' name will cause confusion among researchers.
A 'Hitler-beetle' (anophtalmus Hitleri) Under an Electron Microscope (Matthias Schrader/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)
The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, the organisation which approves names, says renaming will go against its primary goal of stability in research. The call follows the trend of renaming statues and places associated with controversial figures in the UK. The toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol led to a tsunami of people asking for name changes for various establishments. Colston Hall, a concert venue, will from now on be known as Bristol Beacon following a public consultation.
Martin Baehr, a beetle expert at The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, said: "There is a complete run on these creatures, and collectors are intruding on the beetles' natural habitat to get hold of them." The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, a Munich-based research organisation that houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world, has had almost all of its Hitler beetle specimens stolen. The thieves are not all Nazi sympathisers, but often entrepreneurs wanting to cash in on the lucrative Nazi memorabilia market where SS signet rings can fetch hundreds of pounds and a Hitler autograph, thousands.
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If Anophthalmus hitleri does completely die out, it would mean there are no creatures left on the planet named after the brutal Nazi dictator. Some may be happy about this and others sad. Rochlingia hitleri, a flying insect fossil named after Hitler in 1934 was already extinct at its christening.
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