
The reintroduction of the chequered skipper butterfly, extinct in England since 1976, has been hailed as a success.
Once scarce but locally common in the East Midlands, the species vanished due to changes in woodland management. A decline in coppicing, maintenance of narrow tracks, and the rise of conifer plantations unsuitable for the butterfly led to its extinction.
In 2018, ecologists brought 128 chequered skippers—101 females and 27 males—from Belgium to Fineshade Wood near Corby, Northamptonshire, as part of a re-establishment effort. Fineshade Wood, located within the 200-square-mile Rockingham Forest, was selected for its sunny, favourable habitat.
Butterfly Conservation, the charity overseeing the project, called the results “very exciting,” highlighting the potential for humans to restore natural environments.
Susannah O’Riordan from the charity described the initiative as a “real experiment,” but it would now “inform future reintroductions and all kinds of conservation projects – for butterflies and beyond”.
Initially, the butterflies’ location was kept secret to ensure their protection. However, five years of research has confirmed the success of the project, with evidence of successful breeding. Over 350 individual chequered skippers have been recorded, with numbers increasing annually.
This achievement provides a bright spot for Butterfly Conservation, following disappointing results in its 2023 Big Butterfly Count. It demonstrates the potential for well-planned ecological interventions to reverse biodiversity loss and restore extinct species to their natural habitats.
Dr Nigel Bourn, the charity’s chief scientist, said: “This project shows us that restoring wildlife is possible, but only if we put in dedicated and sustained effort to tackle the reasons the species went extinct in the first place.”
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