S.C.S. plans to reintroduce the Pepe ae

The Samoa Conservation Society (S.C.S.) plans to reintroduce the Samoa's largest butterfly, the Samoan Swallowtail Butterfly the "Pepe ae" to Samoa. The largest Samoan butterfly disappeared from Samoa in 1980, but was rediscovered in American Samoa in 2009.

The S.C.S. is working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.), the UK High Commission in Samoa, and Botanic Gardens in London to develop the Vailima Botanical Gardens.

They hope to develop a butterfly garden at the Vailima Botanical Gardens, which include the Pepe ae, by planting plants such as the Talafalu.

The Talafalu is a native coastal plant is the host plant of the Pepe ae. A Talafalu was planted on Monday to as part of the commemoration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee.

The President of S.C.S. James Atherton said on Monday during the event that the Talafalu is no longer common in Samoa due to the loss of coastal forests which is mostly being removed now.

"It is the host plant for our extinct Swallowtail Butterfly the Pepe ae [...] which disappeared around 1980 from [the Independent State of Samoa] but was rediscovered in American Samoa in 2009," Mr. Atherton said on Monday.

"So we hope one day to reintroduce this beautiful Samoan endemic species, the largest butterfly in Samoa.

"We hope to reintroduce it back to Upolu and Savaii from Tutuila but we need to plant more of these first because these are the host plant."

Mr. Atherton said that they hope to propagate more Talafalu for people to plant near their homes.

"They dont actually grow really huge so you can grow them near your home, it only grows to about 6 or 8 meters," he said.

"They can be grown in people's gardens and so one day our dream is to bring back this butterfly from American Samoa and this plant which is obviosuly the host for the Pepe ae will be one of many butterfly plants that we will plant here in the garden."

There are 30 species of butterfly in Samoa, of which 4 species within 3 butterfly families (Hypolimnas errabunda, Papilo godeeffroyi, Phalanta exulans, and Deudorix doris) are endemic to Samoa. There are also 6 subspecies in Samoa.