But
Nous travaillons à soutenir le papillon damier de Taylor en renforçant la population sauvage en Colombie-Britannique, et à compléter les efforts de nos partenaires qui restaurent et maintiennent l'habitat de l'espèce.
Espèce
This small, vibrantly-coloured butterfly once thrived in Garry Oak ecosystems, wet meadows, and disturbed habitats from the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island to the Willamette Valley in Oregon. As recently as 2005, scientists believed that this butterfly had disappeared from Canada. Two isolated populations have since been found, on Denman Island and near Oyster River on Vancouver Island. The species is quite sedentary, often using one small patch of habitat for their entire lifecycle. Learn more about this species.
Qu'est-ce que le programme de rétablissement du papillon damier de Taylor ?
L'élevage de conservation des damiers de Taylor a débuté en 2013 dans une volière convertie sur l'île Denman. Deux ans plus tard, nous avons commencé à relâcher des chenilles dans des habitats restaurés sur l'île. Aujourd'hui, l'élevage a été transféré dans les installations du Greater Vancouver Zoo, où nous pouvons produire des milliers de chenilles chaque année.
OBJECTIFS
2023
En 2023, nous prévoyons :
- Relâcher 1 500 chenilles du papillon damier de Taylor sur l'île Hornby en Colombie-Britannique.
- Produire 1 500 chenilles dans le programme d'élevage de conservation en vue d'un relâchement en 2024.
Mi-session
À long terme
WHAT’S INVOLVED
Project
Élevage de conservation of Taylor’s checkerspots began in 2013 in a converted aviary on Denman Island, with the collection of 18 wild eggs. In the years since, breeding has been moved to facilities at the Greater Vancouver Zoo. Techniques we use are adapted from a successful breeding and release program for the same species at the Oregon Zoo, and applied to suit the biology of our Canadian Taylor’s checkerspot populations. We now have the capability to produce over a thousand caterpillars per year, while engaging in education and outreach with Greater Vancouver Zoo guests.
This breeding program complements partner efforts that restore and maintain suitable habitat for the species, and that create new release sites for reintroductions.
Results
The breeding population has seen increasing success since the beginning of the program. We can now produce over 1000 caterpillars a year, with improvements being made consistently. Through our captive breeding program, we continue to gain insight into the species’ behaviour, needs and development. The Taylor’s checkerspots are released as large caterpillars in early spring. In 2015, we began releasing caterpillars into restored habitats on Denman Island to supplement the existing populations.
In the early spring of 2020, the first generation of caterpillars were released into restored habitat in Helliwell Provincial Park on Hornby Island, a project many years in the making. In this formerly occupied habitat, we are attempting to establish a third, resilient population of checkerspots in BC. This important habitat on Hornby Island has been restored in collaboration with our partners.
We were thrilled to see that, come May 2020, there were adult Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies flying in these restored meadows. Releases of caterpillars on Hornby Island will continue, and the population will be monitored by our team to ensure their success.
Impact
Personnel du projet
Andrea Gielens
Biologiste principal
Andrea gère le programme de rétablissement du papillon damier de Taylor en Colombie-Britannique. Elle a étudié au Canada et à l'étranger, notamment au Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust à Jersey. Andrea supervise également nos programmes d'élevage en captivité et de remise en liberté pour la tortue peinte de l'Ouest côtière et la grenouille maculée de l'Oregon.
Jag Athwal
Assistant Biologist – Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly
Jag started with WPC in 2023 as a nest monitoring technician for Western Painted Turtles. Jag graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, majoring in Ecological Restoration, bringing a foundation in ecosystem management to their current work. His experience with endangered species monitoring has deepened their appreciation for the intricate relationships within ecosystems. What he values most is the crucial role humans play in preserving and restoring landscapes for endangered species, seeing conservation as a collaborative effort between nature and society.
Supported By
Program Partners
Ressources
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