Florida’s Endangered Butterflies: Pelican Island Audubon Society meeting

Community and Forum → Blog → Florida’s Endangered Butterflies: Pelican Island Audubon Society meeting

Lev Bely, 01.10.2012 17:39

On October, 8th at 18:00 the North Indian River County Library in Sebastian, Florida (US), hosts a Pelican Island Audubon Society meeting 'Florida’s Endangered Butterflies: Agency Actions and In-Actions', to discuss how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manage local natural resources.

The Schaus' Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio aristodemus) was among the first insect species put on the list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the early 1970 accorded to the Endangered Species Act. Since then, this unique butterfly despite its alarming status has not been re-established and, moreover, is now likely to be extinct.

Lately the list has been updated with a gossamer-winged butterfly, Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri subspecies (see Lepidoptera.pro 20.03.12 article), and three more gossamer-winged of Southern Florida. The Florida Leafwing (Anaea troglodyta), Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon acis) and Palatka Skipper (Euphyes pilatka) from the Florida Keys archipelago are also expected to be put on the list as endangered.

More than 18 other Florida butterfly species are threatened as well. Southern Florida fauna and particularly of the Florida Keys is much impaired. Three local butterfly species today are deemed extinguished. Two more vanished from the United States.

Despite the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission both have legal authority over these species, neither of them has initiated any serious actions to conserve or re-establish populations of the endangered species, and simply nothing has been done to protect many other species that are going to die out.

The meeting will also review how these agencies manage Florida natural resources and possible faults if there are any. How to unite the agencies, conservation groups, botanic gardens, zoos, and scientists? Concerns include such as monitoring populations of endangered species, artificial rearing of the most vulnerable species, and a research to see the reasons of the todays butterflies poor state.

It will be led by Ph.D. Marc Minno, which has been worked for 21 years as a wetland scientist for the St. Johns River Water Management District in Palatka, Florida. Now Minno is a Lead Ecologist for an environmental consulting and education firm Eco-Cognizant, Inc.

Marc Minno is the author and co-author of various scientific and popular articles about butterflies and moths, and also books of the local area.

Learn more of the Pelican Island Audubon Society programs and trips: call 772-567-3520 (office) or visit www.pelicanislandaudubon.org.

The meeting will take place on October, 8th at 6 p. m. at the North Indian River County Library, 1001 Sebastian Blvd. (CR 512), Sebastian. Free entrance.

TCPalm.com, http://www.tcpalm.com

Photo: 'Florida’s Endangered Butterflies: Agency Actions and In-Actions with Marc Minno' meeting ad, http://www.pelicanislandaudubon.org

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