Saving Endangered Taita Hills Butterflies through Growing Indigenous Host Plants.

Species protection Community managed nature protection Ecosystem protection

2018

by Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

Saving Endangered Taita Hills Butterflies through Growing Indigenous Host Plants.

The aim is to grow larvae host plants for the endangered butterfly species endemic to Taita Hills forests namely Papilio desmondi teita, Cymothoe teita and Charaxes xiphares. This will be achieved by raising 50,000 seedlings of 9 different native butterfly host plants species in a community tree nursery, engaging the local community and school youth to plant the seedlings in degraded forests and school compounds, use a butterfly cage to demonstrate how locals can rear swallow-tailed butterflies for income generation, establishing a grass root network of 100 school wildlife clubs to manage the planted butterfly host plants for sustainability.

A community tree nursery of 500 seed beds, 60×100 cm (2×3 feet) each will be constructed to raise 50,000 seedlings. Seeds would be collected from nearby forest fragments. Seedlings will be transplanted on reaching 1.5 ft high. School youth and communities will own the seedlings and conduct tree planting on the degraded forest fragments and neighbouring schools. A cage would be installed to demonstrate and train local community on how to rear swallow-tailed butterflies. A grassroots network of local schools will be established to take lead in managing the initiated butterfly conservation initiatives for sustainability.

Name organisation:

Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

Start date:

01-06-2018

Funding:

€8500

Country/Territory:

Kenya

Name organisation:

Wildlife Clubs of Kenya

Start date:

01-06-2018

Funding:

€8500

Country/Territory:

Kenya

The project will initiate a community driven action in restoring food plants and demonstrate butterfly rearing as alternative income generating activity.

From the final report: “The Van Tienhoven Foundation project ‘Saving Endangered Taita Hills Butterflies through Growing Indigenous Host Plants’ made a meaningful impact in fostering conservation of the endangered Taita Hills butterflies and the entire ecosystem as a whole. Key conservation interventions initiated through the project are community capacity building, development of a butterfly rearing cage for community education, growing of butterfly host plants in schools and degraded forests, outreach education in schools, formation of grassroots conservation networks as well as production and distribution of education materials. Despite challenges encountered, appropriate measures were put in place to ensure sustainability of the activities. The project is an exemplary initiative that can be scaled up and replicated in other parts of the country and world at large. I appreciate the Van Tienhoven Foundation for enabling implementation of this noble project through their generous support.”