Today, I dedicated a few hours to capture a tiny endangered butterfly species, the Pithecops fulgent tsushimanus. It is found only in the small island of Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture, but the Adachi Park of Living Things with help of Japan Butterfly Conservation Society breed the butterfly in a green house in order to save the species from the danger of extinction. After raising a steady population in safe environment, they take the butterflies back to their natural habitat in Tsushima. This month from 6th to 15th they release a small amount of adult butterflies in a butterfly house open to the general public.
The Pithecops fulgent tsushimanus is one of the smallest butterflies in Japan. With wings open it measures only 20 mm and can therefore be hard to find even in a butterfly house. I was anyhow very lucky to be right on time to see when a staff member released a number of butterflies. He also happily answered my questions about the conservation work. The butterfly house of Adachi Park of Living Things is a great place to visit any time, but this period when the tiny butterflies of Tsushima are fluttering around, it is of special joy to me.
今日は絶滅危惧種のツシマウラボシシジミを撮ってきました。日本では長崎県対馬市のみ分布する蝶ですが、足立区生物園は日本チョウ類保全協会と共にその蝶を飼育し、個体数を安定させ、対馬の生息地に戻す活動をしています。今月６〜15日にこの貴重な蝶をバターフライハウスにで一般公開を行います。
翅を開いた状態でわすか２０ミリのツシマウラボシシジミは日本の最小の蝶の一つです。バターフライハウスの中でも見つけるのは難しいですが、幸い飼育係が蝶を放つところを見ました。係りの方がツシマウラボシシジミの保護活動について色々語ってくれました。生物園のバターフライハウスはいつ行ってもとても楽しめますが、対馬の小さな蝶が舞う時には特に貴重な経験になりました。
