Scientists have managed to save one of the rarest butterflies of North America, the Poweshiek skipperling, from complete extinction. Back in 2022, only nine individuals were counted in the US wildlife, and in 2025, researchers released more than 1.3 thousand butterflies into the natural environment, writes Phys.org.
Specialists from Michigan State University are engaged in the restoration of the species in cooperation with zoos and environmental organizations. At the initial stage, their goal was simply to prevent the extinction of the last surviving populations. Now scientists are trying not only to preserve the species, but also to expand its distribution area.
The Poweshiek skipperling was once widespread throughout the Midwestern United States, from Iowa and the Dakotas to Michigan and southern Canada. However, in the early 2000s, its numbers began to decline dramatically due to habitat loss, the destruction of grasslands and marshes, changes in agricultural methods, and the use of pesticides.
The restoration of rare meadow swamps, prairie-fens, which are its natural habitat, played a particularly important role in saving the butterfly. The largest number of such protected areas in the world are located in southern Michigan.
Scientists grow butterflies in special fenced areas, where they maintain hot and humid conditions typical of natural habitats. After that, the insects are released into the restored prairies. In 2022, 102 individuals were released, and in 2025, more than 1300.
Researchers note that until a few years ago, the number of Poweshiek skipperlings in captivity was greater than the number of individuals in the wild worldwide. Now specialists are observing hundreds of butterflies in their habitats.
"We really managed to save this species from extinction," said David Pavlik, a researcher at Michigan State University.
The success of the program has allowed scientists to extend it to other rare species of butterflies, Mitchell's satyr and Karner blue. They are also grown in captivity and returned to the natural environment.
