Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in collaboration with the Samoa Conservation Society, is currently conducting consultations with Atoa o Samoa, aiming to reintroduce the native butterfly to the region.
Known as the Samoan swallowtail butterfly, or Pepe Ae, it is the largest among the 30 species of Samoan butterflies, spanning approximately 10 centimeters when fully mature.
This butterfly species is extinct in Samoa but continues to exist in American Samoa.
James Atherton, the president of the Samoa Conservation Society, noted that the butterfly was once prevalent, but its numbers have significantly decreased.
“We’re losing biodiversity,” Mr. Atherton expressed to Samoa News Hub.
“There are probably many more species that we’re unaware of that are essentially gone, and we never even realised they existed, which is profoundly sad.”
Lealaisalanoa Frances Debra Brown, the CEO of MNRE, mentioned in an interview with this media outlet that through the Ministry’s partnership with organisations including the SCS, efforts are underway to transform the Vailima Botanical Garden into a tourist attraction. This includes establishing a butterfly exhibit while awaiting the decision to reintroduce Samoa’s butterfly.
The planned tourist destination will feature plants rare to the country and provide information on extinct animals.
It will serve as a resource for student research and various other purposes.
Most importantly, this initiative is part of Samoa’s preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October this year, during which the King is expected to visit the conservation area at Vailima.
Photo (c) https://inaturalist.ca/photos/30318644
Fa’aliliuga i le gagana Samoa
Ua leva e le’o toe va’aia i Samoa lana pepe ua ta’ua o le pepe a’e.
O lea olo’o fa’agasolo fa’atalanoaga a le Matāgaluega o Punaoa Fa’alenatura ma Si’osi’omaga a Samoa, o ana pa’aga, fa’apea ma le Atoa o Samoa, i le toe aumaia o le pepe i le atunu’u.
O le pepe a’e olo’o tele i Amerika Samoa.
I le saunoaga a le Peresetene o le Sosaiete o Fa’asao a Samoa olo’o aofia foi i le nei galuega, ia James Atherton, na ia ta’ua ai le tele o vaega o le ola fa’alenatura ua leo toe va’aia i Samoa.
Ae i le tatou fa’atalanoaga ma le Ofisa Sili a le Matāgaluega ia Lealaisalanoa Frances Debra Brown, na ia ta’ua ai olo’o faia galuega fa’alelei i le togala’au fa’asao i Vailima.
“Ua iai nei le fuafuaga i le Malo e faia fa’amataaga le Togala’au, ma o le a iai le vaega fa’apitoa e toto ai laau ua seasea toe vaaia i le atunu’u, ma ata fa’apea fa’amatalaga o manu ua sesegi.”
E le gata o se taumafaiga mo su’esu’ega a fānau aoga fa’apea tursisi, ae le gata i lea mo le silafia o tatou tagata olo’o a’ea le mauga o Vaea.
O le a faia ai ma se togalaau e iai laau e fa’alalata ai le pepe a’e, ao talia ai iuga o fa’atalanoaga i le taimi e aumai ai, ma o se vaega lea o le tapenaga mo le fonotaga a Ta’ita’i o Mālo o le Taupulega, ia Oketopa.
Olo’o iai le fuafuaga e tatau ona asia e le Tupu o Peretania.
