$3.8M invested in recovering endangered Bay Area butterfly species

(KRON) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committing over $3.8 million to the recovery of two endangered butterfly species native to the Bay Area: the San Bruno elfin butterfly and the mission blue butterfly, which ranges from South San Francisco to Redwood City.

The funds will be used for a range of recovery efforts, including habitat restoration, annual surveys of the butterflies and their food plants, invasive plant management, increasing food plant populations through seeding, and conducting crucial research on the species.

The Wildlife Service plans to collaborate with various partners to implement the recovery strategy for these butterflies. This initiative is part of a broader $20 million investment aimed at supporting endangered species across four key groups: Hawaiian and Pacific Island plants, butterflies and moths, freshwater mussels, and southwest desert fish.

The agency emphasizes that these recovery measures are essential to meet the criteria for delisting the butterflies within approximately 10 years. Both species were designated as endangered in 1976 due to habitat loss, small population sizes, and climate change impacts.

An interactive map shows the habitats of the San Bruno elfin butterfly. Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The mission blue butterfly is found in coastal scrublands and grasslands across specific regions of southern Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties in California. In contrast, the San Bruno elfin butterfly resides in rocky outcrop areas within San Mateo County. According to the Wildlife Service, both species are closely associated with locations where their larval host plants are present.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.