MIAMI BLUE BUTTERFLY RESTORATION PROJECT

[Anne Kilmer]

Robert Kriegel wrote:

> Bob, Anne, Neil et al.
> 
> It is really amazing to see how you folks have put together a dedicated
> group to work with Miami Blues, and done it so quickly.  I wish you great
> success.  Do you have anyone in an advisory position with your group who
> has previously worked on the restoration of a federally endangered species
> of Lepidoptera in the U.S.?  I don't ask this to minimize the talents of
> your group but to alert you to some of the restrictions your project will
> face if you ARE successful at getting the species listed as federally
> endangered and proceed with your recovery plan.  And no I'm not available;
> I have my pro bono hands full attempting to deal with state listed leps in
> a single, northern state.
> 
> I suggest you contact the Toledo Zoo and talk to them about what it took to
> get the federally endangered Karner Blue butterfly successfully
> reintroduced into Ohio.  I recently saw an excellent presentation on this
> project by zoo personnel at the Winter meeting of the Ohio Lepidopterists
> society.  A scientific group which, by the way, welcomes everyone with an
> interest in moths and butterflies be they collector, photographer or watcher.
> 
> 
> 

well, as a matter of fact, we covered that, in my chat with Dr. Martin 
of the USFWS. He says he sees no problem; if we decide to have it listed 
as endangered, threatened or of special interest, according to what we 
find from our survey of the Keys and Miami, IFAS or some similar 
organization can hold the permit, and the project will continue as 
planned. (We, of course, includes John Calhoun, Marc Minno, and others 
whose words carry weight.)
Since it's a Master Gardener project (mine) I'm hoping IFAS would take 
it on.

Oh, believe me, we'll check out what was done in Ohio.

Since the captive breeders are part of the immediate and long-term 
solution, they would be grandfathered in, of course.

Bob Pyle described a similar plan, in a discussion of the Xerces Blue 
and his plan for "restoring" it ... in the Winter issue of the NABA 
magazine. The Miami Blue is not extirpated, as yet, in the Keys. We need 
not bring in outside stock.
(Pyle says "Go for it," by the way.)
I don't want it endangered, or declared as such. I certainly don't want 
to see Floridians inconvenienced over a subspecies, particularly 
considering how they have reacted to attempts to protect the mangrove.

I'm hoping that everyone will rally to this, and show people how 
Americans do things: we don't send the Government and committees and 
declare rules and diddle about till the bugs are gone; we get the 
scientists to tell us what to do, and we all do it.
Make that People of the Planet Earth. The Keys are so nice, this time of 
year, and prices will never be lower.

Come one, come all.
But ask Bob Parcelles first.
Anne Kilmer
Task Force Director
Miami Blue Butterfly Recovery Team



 
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