CONSERVATION
IUCN Redlist category Least Concern (IUCN 2020)
Rationale for redlist categorization Ornithoptera chimaera has been assessed as Least Concern. The species occurs widely in Indonesian Papua and Papua New Guinea, resulting in an extensive extent of occurrence. Its area of occupancy may be much lower, with a minimum of 140 km? estimated based on available point localities; however, this is likely an underestimate. Although often considered rare, the species is likely to be difficult to observe, as it often occurs in steep sided gullies and on ridges. The species is traded, although trade controls are in place due to its listing as a CITES Appendix II species. Habitat loss from soil erosion following logging and also from forest fires is likely to affect the species in parts of its range. However, the species does not occur in a limited number of locations, nor is there a general observable trend in a continuing decline in either extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of mature individuals, subpopulations, or extent and quality of habitat. Improved monitoring of the species is recommended, especially monitoring of number of individuals traded and the status of the population in the wild. (IUCN 2020)
Threat category Ecosystem conversion|Ecosystem degradation,Species mortality (IUCN 2020)
Cause of stress Intentional use (species is the target),Increase in fire frequency/intensity (IUCN 2020)
Described Threats The habitat in which this species occurs (primary forest at altitude and often on steep-sided slopes) is limited but also difficult to exploit commercially, i.e. through logging (Parsons 1983; Collins and Morris 1985). However, threats may vary throughout the range: in the Wandamen mountains (Irian Jaya), forest fires may be a threat (Collins and Morris 1985). In the Weyland mountains, soil erosion may be an issue in areas of intense logging (Collins and Morris 1985).
This species features in the species trade. Butterfly collectors have paid high prices for birdwing butterflies of this genus: a pair of Ornithoptera meridionalis was reported to have fetched USD 3,400 in Germany (Melisch and Schutz 2000). As a result, all Ornithoptera are listed on CITES Appendix II, with the exception of Ornithoptera alexandrae which is listed on CITES Appendix I. According to CITES databases, most trade in O. chimaera comes from ranched individuals (CITES 2015). Butterfly ranching is generally thought of as a sound, economically viable and sustainable rural industry (Wambi 1996, Hanscom 1993, Burrows 2003 in Small 2007). However, there are concerns that butterfly ranching may not be as sustainable in some countries as it is often perceived to be (e.g., Papua New Guinea; Small 2007). This is based on a lack of data and species monitoring to assess the status of butterfly populations, and for many species, such monitoring is fraught with difficulty due to inaccessibility of their habitat (Small 2007). It has been stated that overcollecting seldom becomes a threat to butterflies, due to the reproductive capacity of insects and the difficulty in capturing significant numbers of the population (Pyle and Hughes 1978, in Parsons 1992). However, where birdwing butterflies are highly specific to host plants and where density of these hosts plants limits population size, collection in conjunction with habitat loss could have significant impacts on the species or subpopulations. There is also evidence that some specimen are still taken from the wild (CITES 2015). (IUCN 2020)
Commercial use Butterflies are mostly traded dead for the curio market (Collins and Morris 1985, New and Collins 1991). Between 1998 to 2007, 306,000 butterflies were traded from Southeast Asia, with 13,000 of these being wild-caught (Nijman 2010). There is a distinct shift towards ranched and captive-bred individuals in trade from 2003 onwards; in 1985, it was reported that globally less than 10% of trade was in ranched individuals (Collins and Morris 1985). Altogether at least 34 different species were recorded in trade, most of which belonged to the birdwing butterflies ( Troides and Ornithoptera ; Nijman 2010). It should be noted that trade in butterflies may be underreported, because of difficulties monitoring. New and Collins (1991) noted that trade is extremely difficult to monitor because transportation of unpinned specimens is easy, especially of comparatively low value species which may instead be traded at high volumes.
Birdwings can fetch high prices on the market. For example, butterfly collectors have paid high prices for birdwing butterflies of this genus: a pair of Ornithoptera meridionalis was reported to have fetched USD 3,400 in Germany (Melisch and Schutz 2000). This species is listed with all other birdwings on CITES Appendix II ( Ornithoptera, Trogonoptera and Troides , with the exception of O. alexandrae which is listed on Appendix I). Most specimens exported from Indonesia are traded from ranched populations, with overall ca. 3,200 of the reported ca. 3,350 specimens exported from Indonesia between 2000 and 2015 originating from ranched individuals (CITES 2015). For Papua New Guinea, the statistics are similar: 4,000 of the reported ca. 6,000 specimens exported from the country between 2000 and 2015 originated from ranched populations (CITES 2015). Wild-caught specimens have been documented in relatively significant numbers in the trade from Papua New Guinea (ca. 1,600 specimens or bodies between 2000 and 2015; CITES 2015). Previous trends in traded individuals from the range countries show that between 1987 and 2005, ranched individuals were the most common source of traded individuals (UNEP-WCMC 2007). (IUCN 2020)
Applied conservation actions This species is protected in both Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya (D'Abrera 1971, Collins and Morris 1985). This species is also used in butterfly ranching, despite more difficulties in cultivating the food plant than for other Ornithoptera species (Collins and Morris 1985). This species was a priority species for conservation projects in New and Collins' (1991) action plan for the world's swallowtail butterflies, due to its indeterminate status at the time. This suggested specifically the integration of swallowtails into conservation planning in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and reserves in Papua New Guinea which would specifically be aimed at preserving this species (suggested reserves at Telefomin, Bundi, Naniwe Mission, Tapini-Woitape and Central Huon; New and Collins 1991). There are a number of protected areas within the range of the butterfly, but it is unknown whether the species occurs within them (WDPA 2013). There is a need for more data on this species, specifically with regard to the status and trends of its population and the impact that threats may have on the species; population and harvest monitoring is highly recommended. (IUCN 2020)
REFERENCES
- CITES. 2015. CITES Trade Data Base. Available at: http://trade.cites.org/.
- Collins, N.M. and Morris, M.G. 1985. Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World. The IUCN Red Data Book. IUCN, Gland and Cambridge.
- D'Abrera, B. 1971. Butterflies of the Australian Region. Lansdowne Press, Melbourne.
- Hanscom, T. 1993. Setting hearts aflutter: little butterflies take wing as big business. The Rotarian 163: 16-19.
- IUCN. 2020. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2020-3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 10 December 2020).
- Melisch, R. and Schutz, P. 2000. Butterflies and beetles in Germany. Traffic Bulletin 18: 91-93.
- New, T.R. and Collins, N.M. 1991. Swallowtail butterflies: an action plan for their conservation. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/Species Survival Commission Lepidoptera Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland.
- Nijman, V. 2010. An overview of international wildlife trade from Southeast Asia. Biodiversity and Conservation 19(1101-1114).
- Parsons, M.J. 1983. A conservation study of the birdwing butterflies Ornithoptera and Troides (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in Papua New Guinea. Final report to the Department of Primary Industry, Papua New Guinea.
- Parsons, M.J. 1992. The butterfly farming and trading industry in the Indo-Australian region and its role in tropical forest conservation. Tropical Lepidoptera 3(Suppl. 1): 1-31.
- Pyle, R.M. and Hughes, S.A. 1978. Conservation and Utilization of the Insect Resources of Papua New Guinea. Wildlife Branch, Department of Natural Resources, Port Moresby.
- Small, R.D.S. 2007. Becoming unsustainable? Recent trends in the formal sector of insect trading in Papua New Guinea. Oryx 41(3): 386-389.
- UNEP-WCMC. 2007. Review of trade in ranched birdwing butterflies. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge.
- Wambi, D. 1996. Birds, bugs and butterflies. New Guinea Insight 6: 5-9.
- WDPA. 2013. World database of Protected Areas. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.