These fragile, beautiful butterflies helped keep deforestation at bay. Then the pandemic hit
Blades, R. (2021). These fragile, beautiful butterflies helped keep deforestation at bay. Then the pandemic hit. The Toronto Star, https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2021/05/07/these-fragile-beautiful-butterflies-helped-keep-deforestation-at-bay-then-the-pandemic-hit.html
“Nearly 50 years ago, the first butterfly breeding experiment was founded in Papua New Guinea — a tropical island home to some of the most spectacular butterflies on Earth. A few dozen villages cultivated larvae and sold boxes of adult butterflies to international collectors for about $37 each.
Since then, butterfly farms have spread to countries around the world, including Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Ecuador. These operations have brought thousands of dollars into local communities and created an economic incentive to preserve natural ecosystems — until the pandemic.
With restricted travel and transportation, many butterflies have nowhere to go. Shipments are delayed; tourism is on pause; and farmers are left with thousands of drop-dead gorgeous butterflies eating a hole in their pocket. Many small family farms have turned to timber harvesting to survive, while others hold out hope that the butterflies will keep them afloat yet.”