Initiatives for co-existence and co-prosperity of conservation of the most critically endangered butterfly with agriculture/forestry industries and local residents ―The Nature Conservation Committee, The Lepidopterological Society of Japan―

<p>Pithecops fulgens tsushimanus Shirôzu and Urata, 1957, one of the Nationally Rare Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in Japan, has become the most critically endangered of Japanese butterflies due to the impact on its habitats mainly caused by sika deer overbrowsing. We formulated the following three actions to conserve and increase the population of the endangered species in Tsushima Island: a) conservation and breeding activities in protection areas; b) collaborative activities with agriculture/forestry industries; and c) collaborative activities with local residents. Based on this approach, we aimed to play an exemplary role in fostering co-existence and co-prosperity among butterfly conservation, agriculture/forestry industries and local residents. For the conservation and breeding activities, the protected areas were improved due to additional deer-proof fence construction. A new conservation area was also established in a shiitake mushroom field. Environmental maintenance, hostplant plantings and reintroduction of the butterfly were conducted in this area. Subsequently, the use of larval hostplants of the butterfly was experimentally verified throughout the year. For the collaborative activities with agriculture/forestry industries, we worked with a farmer owning fields of shiitake mushrooms which the butterfly generally prefers, and then succeeded in establishing one site as a conservation area. For the collaborative activities with local residents, specimens of the butterfly were donated to a junior high and a high school in Tsushima Island, where students were provided the opportunity to participate in hostplant planting. Moreover, two HyFlex symposia for butterfly conservation were held both at Tsushima Civic Center and online, with a public excursion for local citizens to observe the butterfly and to plant the hostplants during the first symposium. Free pinback buttons, leaflets and hostplant pots related to this butterfly were also distributed to publicize the conservation activities.</p>