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van der Heyden, T.
Local and effective: Two projects of butterfly farming in Cambodia and Tanzania
(Insecta: Lepidoptera)
SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, vol. 39, núm. 155, septiembre, 2011, pp. 267-270
Sociedad Hispano-Luso-Americana de Lepidopterología
Madrid, España
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SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología
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267
Local and effective: Two projects of butterfly farming
in Cambodia and Tanzania
(Insecta: Lepidoptera)
T. van der Heyden
Abstract
The projects “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre” in Cambodia (Asia) and “Zanzibar Butterfly Centre” in Tanzania
(Africa) are presented as models of sustainable butterfly farming to support local communities.
KEY WORDS: Insecta, Lepidoptera, butterfly farming, sustainability, conservation, development, tropics,
Cambodia, Tanzania.
Local y efectivo: Dos proyectos de cría de mariposas en Camboya y Tanzania
(Insecta: Lepidoptera)
Resumen
Los proyectos “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre” en Camboya (Asia) y “Zanzibar Butterfly Centre” in Tanzania
(África) se describen como modelos de cría sostenible de mariposas en apoyo para comunidades locales.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Insecta, Lepidoptera, cría de mariposas, sostenibilidad, conservación, desarrollo, trópicos,
Camboya, Tanzania.
Lokal und effektiv: Zwei Schmetterlingsfarm-Projekte in Kambodscha und Tansania
(Insecta: Lepidoptera)
Zusammenfassung
Die Projekte “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre“ in Kambodscha (Asien) und “Zanzibar Butterfly Centre” in
Tansania (Afrika) werden als Modelle nachhaltig betriebener Schmetterlingsfarmen zur Unterstützung lokaler
Gemeinschaften vorgestellt.
SCHLÜSSELWÖRTER: Insecta, Lepidoptera, Schmetterlingsfarm, Nachhaltigkeit, Erhaltung, Entwicklung,
Tropen, Kambodscha, Tansania.
Introduction
As pointed out before, farming and/or exhibiting tropical butterflies could offer a sustainable
opportunity for local (rural) communities in tropical countries to increase and diversify their income
(SAMBHU & VAN DER HEYDEN, 2010; VAN DER HEYDEN, 2011).
Two butterfly projects, which are working closely together and therefore could be named “sister
projects”, are the “Zanzibar Butterfly Centre” (ZBC) which started in 2006 near Jozani National Park
on the island of Unguja, Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania (Africa) and the “Banteay Srey
SHILAP Revta. lepid., 39 (155), septiembre 2011: 267-270 CODEN: SRLPEF ISSN:0300-5267
267-270 Local and effective Tw 10/9/11 17:37 Página 267
Butterfly Centre” (BBC), located near Phnom Kulen National Park in the Siem Reap Province in
Cambodia (Asia), which started in 2008.
Both centres offer large netted tropical exhibition areas, where visitors can observe hundreds or
even thousands of free-flying native butterflies from Tanzania and Cambodia, respectively.
But exhibiting butterflies is only one part of the activities of the ZBC and the BBC. The ZBC is
working closely together with Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Jozani Environmental Conservation
Association and Pete Development Association. Both centres are focussing on providing support for
local poverty alleviation and conservation projects investing revenues from visitor admissions.
On top of that, both centres are working together with local rural communities, where the
specimens exhibited in the centres are raised by local farmers. Pupae are bred for export, too.
Local farmers conserving nature and gaining strength/self-confidence
As the butterfly farms are located close to areas of natural forests, they provide an (economic)
opportunity for local communities to protect and conserve the surrounding natural habitats instead of
destroying them for agricultural purposes.
T. VAN DER HEYDEN
268 SHILAP Revta. lepid., 39 (155), septiembre 2011
2
Figures 1-4.– 1. A mating couple of Graphium agamemnon (Linnaeus, 1758) (Papilionidae) at the “Banteay
Srey Butterfly Centre”. 2. A breeding cage of a farmer of the “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre” farming project.
3. Specimens of Cethosia cyane (Drury, [1773]) (Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae) emerging at the “Banteay Srey
Butterfly Centre”. 4. Troides helena (Linnaeus, 1758) (Papilionidae) at the “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre”
(Photos: Ben Hayes).
1
34
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In order to farm butterflies for a long(er) period of time, it is necessary to protect the wild
populations of the reared species. Only small parts of them are extracted from the wild. Females are
caught and placed in small breeding cages, where they lay their eggs on the food plants of the larvae.
The eggs are collected and put into small containers. After the caterpillars have hatched, they are
transferred to their respective food plants in the nursery. After pupation the pupae are “harvested” and
can be sold. In order to prevent unnecessary collection from the wild populations of the farmed species
a part of the reared pupae is used by the farmers to start a new cycle in the breeding cages.
As the local butterfy farmers realize that they are able to gain an income by rearing butterflies and
protecting nature at the same time, the benefits of conservation are clearly recognized by them and their
local communities. Besides, they are doing their butterfly business “at home” and are able to fulfill
domestic duties and care for their children without any problem.
In Tanzania eighteen farmers in the village of Pete were trained by the ZBC. At present sixteen
farmers from surrounding villages are participating in the project. The number should increase to
approximately twenty-five by the end of 2011. The farmers in Tanzania set up a democratic Farmer
Council to discuss different matters and to give advice to new farmers.
In Cambodia the BBC provided training for farmers from five nearby villages as well. At present
twenty-one families are involved in the farming project. The number should increase to thirty-five by
the end of 2011.
Species farmed
In both countries a variety of butterfly species is actually reared and sold by the farmers of the
projects of the BBC and ZBC (see Table I).
LOCAL AND EFFECTIVE: TWO PROJECTS OF BUTTERFLY FARMING IN CAMBODIA AND TANZANIA
SHILAP Revta. lepid., 39 (155), septiembre 2011 269
Species farmed in Cambodia by the BBC Species farmed in Tanzania by the ZBC
Atrophaneura aristolochiae (Fabricius, 1775) Acraea natalica Boisduval, 1833
Attacus atlas (Linnaeus, 1758) Acraea zetes (Linnaeus, 1758)
Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius, 1775) Amauris niavius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Catopsilia scylla (Linnaeus, 1763) Amauris ochlea (Boisdual, 1847)
Cethosia cyane (Drury, [1773]) Bebearia mardania (Fabricius,1793)
Charaxes solon (Fabricius, 1793) Belenois thysa Hopffer, 1855)
Danaus genutia (Cramer, [1779]) Byblia anvatara (Boisduval, 1833)
Delias pasithoe (Godart, 1816) Byblia ilithya (Drury, [1773])
Dysphania sagana (Druce, 1882) Catopsilia florella (Fabricius, 1775)
Elymnias hypermnestra (Linnaeus, 1763) Charaxes acuminatus Thurau, 1903
Elymnias nesaea (Linnaeus, 1758) Charaxes brutus (Cramer, [1779])
Euploea core (Linnaeus, 1758) Charaxes candiope (Godart, [1824])
Euploea mulciber (Cramer, [1777]) Charaxes pollux (Cramer, [1775])
Euthalia aconthea (Cramer, [1779]) Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Euthalia lubentina (Cramer, [1779]) Euphaedra neophron (Hopffer, 1855)
Graphium agamemnon (Linnaeus, 1758) Eurema brigitta (Stoll, [1780])
Graphium antiphates (Cramer, [1775]) Eurema floricola (Boisduval, 1833)
Graphium doson (Felder, 1864) Eurytela dryope (Cramer, [1775])
Graphium sarpedon (Linnaeus, 1758) Euxanthe wakefieldi (Ward, 1873)
Hebomoia glaucippe (Linnaeus, 1758) Euxanthe tiberius Grose-Smith, 1889
Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus, 1758) Graphium angolanus (Goeze, 1779)
Junonia almana (Linnaeus, 1758) Graphium antheus (Cramer, [1779])
Lebadea martha Fabricius, 1787 Graphium leonidas (Fabricius, 1793)
Lexias dirtea (Fabicius, 1793) Graphium porthaon (Hewitson, 1865)
Papilio clytia (Linnaeus, 1758) Graphium policenes (Cramer, [1775])
Papilio demoleus Linnaeus, 1758 Hypolimnas misippus (Linnaeus, 1764)
267-270 Local and effective Tw 10/9/11 17:37 Página 269
Table I.– Butterfly species reared by the farmers in Cambodia (BBC) and Tanzania (ZBC).
Conclusion
Both projects, the “Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre” in Cambodia and the “Zanzibar Butterfly
Centre” in Tanzania, were set up near protected areas. They assist with their conservation and help to
reduce pressure on natural resource use via the creation of local jobs offering an alternative livelihood
and poverty alleviation for families from surrounding local communities.
Acknowledgement
I wish to thank Mr. Ben Hayes, director of the BBC and the ZBC, for providing me with the
photos used for this publication and for particular information on both projects.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
SAMBHU, H. & VAN DER HEYDEN, T., 2010.– Sustainable butterfly farming in tropical developing countries as
an opportunity for man and nature-the “Kawê Amazonica Butterfly Farm” project in Guyana as an example
(Insecta: Lepidoptera).– SHILAP Revta. lepid., 38(152): 451-456.
VAN DER HEYDEN, T. M., 2011.– Focus on education: The “Neotropical Butterfly Park” in Suriname.– Antenna,
35(2): 68-69.
T. v. d. H.
Immenweide, 83
D-22523 Hamburg
ALEMANIA / GERMANY
E-mail: tmvdh@web.de
(Recibido para publicación / Received for publication 21-V-2011)
(Revisado y aceptado / Revised and accepted 15-VI-2011)
(Publicado / Published 30-IX-2011)
T. VAN DER HEYDEN
270 SHILAP Revta. lepid., 39 (155), septiembre 2011
Papilio demolion Cramer, [1776] Junonia natalica (Felder & Felder, 1860)
Papilio helenus Linnaeus, 1758 Junonia oenone (Linnaeus, 1758)
Papilio memnon Linnaeus, 1758 Junonia terea (Drury, [1773])
Papilio polytes Linnaeus, 1758 Melanitis leda (Linnaeus, 1758)
Parantica aglea (Stoll, 1781) Papilio dardanus Brown,1776
Parthenos sylvia (Cramer, [1775]) Papilio demodocus Esper, 1798
Polyura athamas (Drury, [1773]) Papilio nireus Linnaeus,1758
Tirumala septentrionis (Butler, 1874) Phalanta phalanta (Drury, [1773])
Salamis anacardii (Linnaeus, 1758)
Vanessa cardui (Linnaeus, 1758)
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