GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo (JBZ) released endangered butterflies into the wild as part of its ongoing effort to preserve species on the brink of extinction.
Zoo officials say they have begun to care for the Mitchell’s satyr butterfly in addition to the Poweshiek skipperling.
We’re told 450 butterflies were released in 2023 thus far.
“If John Ball Zoo and our partners weren’t doing this work, these species would be extinct,” says Conservation Manager Bill Flanagan. “It’s very rewarding to see the butterflies we raised at the Zoo take flight into the wild.”
JBZ tells us the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requested them – along with the Kalamazoo Nature Center – to help conserve the Mitchell’s satyr amid JBZ’s success with preserving the Poweshiek skipperling.
More caterpillars are expected to hatch in the near future as JBZ continues to care for several hundred more Mitchell’s satyrs.
Thirty pairs of skipperlings are currently breeding with 3,000 eggs in tow, according to JBZ.
They say the butterflies they’ve released have been producing eggs in the wild following their release.
"The Mitchell's satyr butterfly is an endangered species found in the Great Lakes region. It relies on specific wetland habitats, which are declining due to habitat loss and degradation,” says U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist Kaitlyn Kelly. “The John Ball Zoo, in coordination with Michigan State University and Kalamazoo Nature Center, have joined the effort to enhance populations of Mitchell's satyr across Michigan's range. Partners at John Ball Zoo provide their expertise to implement managed breeding and rearing techniques to contribute to the recovery of this species."
JBZ says both species are found in prairie fens where they have access to rich nutrients. However, we’re told habitat loss, climate change and pesticides have negatively impacted their numbers in the wild.
The zoo is scheduled to celebrate Monarch Day on Saturday, Sept. 9 by releasing monarch butterflies into the wild.
Visit the zoo's website for more information.
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