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You are here: Home / Swallowtail Survey on Fiji Identifies New Species

Swallowtail Survey on Fiji Identifies New Species

Fiji is a well-known group of islands but some areas have outstanding rainforests with hidden secrets. In July 2018, Fijian biologist, Visheshni Chandra, who lectures at the Fiji National University, captured a spectacular swallowtail butterfly that has turned out to be a species new to science.  It had been photographed alive in 2017 by a research team from Operation Wallacea, an organisation that helps students gain research experience in exotic places. They sent the pictures to the Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust (SBBT), but no-one had seen it before.  Indeed, at first there were suspicions that the photo was a hoax!

Visheshni, who is an expert on Fiji’s butterflies, joined SBBT Associate Richard Markham  (shown above with Visheshni)and other specialists on Fiji’s Natewa Peninsula in June 2018, determined to catch one so that it could be properly studied.  After frustrating glimpses of it high in the forest canopy, she eventually managed to capture the first specimen, which has since been named the ‘Natewa Swallowtail’, the first for 50 years!  Who would expect such novelties from some of the best-studied islands in the world? The new swallowtail has such a small distribution that it is likely soon to be classified as Critically Endangered.

Gilbert Vakalalabure, head of Fiji’s Nambu Conservation Trust, aims to have the Natewa Peninsula declared as a National Park and was very excited about the find: ‘The discovery of this spectacular new butterfly will put us on the conservation map and help attract visitors, scientists and students. This will provide income to local communities, helping them to maintain the area for all to enjoy“ he said.

From SBBT’s perspective, it is amazing in such a well-studied island chain as Fiji, that research programmes like Operation Wallacea and determined researchers like Visheshni can still make new finds.  Now we can help ensure that its habitats are properly protected and that poaching doesn’t open up the area to unscrupulous collectors, who might be tempted to export specimens illegally.

Papilio natewa, the Natewa Swallowtail. Photo by Greg Kerr

SBBT Associate Richard Markham at work with the team in Fiji

Rainforest on the Natewa Peninsula. Photo by Tim Coles

Background

For this project the Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust entered into an agreement with Operation Wallacea to conduct a survey of the butterfly fauna of the relatively isolated and poorly known Natewa Peninsula on Vanua Levu, Fiji Islands.

In 2017 Operation Wallace had undertaken a preliminary survey of the Natewa Peninsula and, amongst their many findings, photographed butterflies and submitted their pictures to the Trust for identification. At that time there was only one species of papilionid known from the Fiji Islands, Papilio schmeltzii, a relatively common species.

With the exciting prospect of completing a thorough survey in this remote region, the Trust brought together a two-man team of expert associates, John Tennent and Richard Markham, to take part in Operation Wallacea’s 2018 survey in July and August.  John and Richard were charged with carrying out a full butterfly survey of the peninsula, a task that had not previously been undertaken. They were supported by expert SBBT associates Adam Cotton in Thailand and Dick Vane-Wright in UK.

Most importantly, SBBT was also able to introduce Visheshni Chandra, a PhD student at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, to the project. Visheshni had already completed an MSc studying Papilio schmeltzii in the wild and proved to be an invaluable addition to the team.

Operation Wallacea has activities in many other sites rich in birdwings, swallowtails and other butterflies, and the Trust looks forward to working alongside “OpWall” as it is often known, in our shared objectives of research and conservation.

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    Latest News

    Richard Bennett joins SBBT as Honorary Advisor on Captive Breeding

    20th July 2021

    Richard has bred butterflies for 55 years, starting in West Yorkshire and now in Watamu, Kenya. A zoologist trained at Oxford, for 30 years he has owned a butterfly farm supplying live exhibitions in USA and UK. His insight and knowledge of captive breeding will be key to the success of SBBT’s conservation projects.

    Richard Markham joins SBBT as Honorary Coordinator on the Natewa Swallowtail

    14th July 2021

    SBBT is delighted to welcome Richard as Honorary Coordinator for Natewa Swallowtail studies in Fiji, where he is closely involved with our project with NatureFiji Marequeti-Viti to conserve and breed Papilio natewa,  a very rare species discovered only in 2017. Richard is the Director of Kokomana Pte Ltd., a cocoa plantation and chocolate company based […]

    “Saving Swallowtails” Conference Now Available Online

    30th June 2021

    On 12 June 2021 SBBT held a very successful online videoconference on “Saving Swallowtails”. Fourteen presentations highlighted the most advanced swallowtail conservation projects in the world, ranging from Florida, Jamaica, Brazil and Kenya to the UK, Italy, Singapore, Australia, PNG and Fiji. These presentations are now freely available to download from YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdB29sTt1KFJPc76X2PfEjg/playlists

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    Swallowtails and birdwings are beautiful and graceful butterflies – who wouldn’t love to see them dancing in the sunlight or sipping nectar from wildflowers? But many species are under threat from agriculture, forestry and climate change. We have ideas, enthusiasm and a vision for the future. Will you help us to achieve our goals?

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