Land for the Endangered Butterfly

Across North America a tiny butterfly called the Poweshiek skipperling was abundant until development and agricultural spraying took away the habitat and acted as a neurotoxin. The population plummeted until there were only two places left in the world where they could be found by scientists sweeping the landscape with butterfly nets. The conservancy has purchased appropriate fen (wetland) habitat where zoo-reared butterflies can be reintroduced to keep the species from going extinct. Our job is to make sure the plant life and hydrology stays the same and continues to provide what the skipperling and other rare species need.