The Butterfly Project at Moorpark College has adopted a third endangered species, the Laguna Mountain Skipper, in an effort to learn more about the Skippers' life history and to develop captive rearing strategies. Also, because the Skipper has a very limited geographic range, the butterflies removed from the wild are serving as a refuge population of the species.
Established in 2007, the Butterfly Project is a captive rearing program for endangered species. It began as a partnership between college biologists, the staff and students of America’s Teaching Zoo and The Urban Wildlands Group, with funding and logistical support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Defense Logistics Agency, the US Navy, and the California Department of Fish and Game. The lab has been “wildly” successful, expanded its scope, and has returned Palos Verdes Blue and Lange’s Metalmark butterflies to their native habitats in California.
The Butterfly Project is located at the Moorpark College, at America's Teaching Zoo, which is open on weekends. www.moorparkcollege.edu/zoo. |
