Butterfly "Ogasawarajijimi" peculiar to the Ogasawara Islands eradicated for breeding August 27, 23:20

The Ministry of the Environment and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have continued to breed the butterfly "Ogasawarajijimi", which has been confirmed to live only in the Ogasawara Islands and has a very high risk of extinction. Announced dead. It has not been confirmed to have lived in the wild ever since, and the Ministry of the Environment says it is "a very critical situation for the conservation of species."

"Ogasawaraishijimi" is an endemic species of butterfly that has been confirmed only to live in the Ogasawara Islands and is designated as a national natural monument.

Since the number has decreased sharply due to the influence of exotic species, the Ministry of the Environment designated it as an endangered species in 2000.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government started an effort to breed the species 15 years ago to preserve the species, and the Ministry of the Environment has been continuing the breeding since last October after receiving an individual from the capital, but by the 25th of this month all adults and larvae Is dead.

The Ministry of the Environment argues that one of the causes is that the harmful gene was accumulated by inbreeding and the amount of sperm in male was extremely reduced.

Even if it is in the wild, "Ogasawara-ishijimi" was not found to be the last to be found on Otowara islands in Hahajima in June, and if it becomes extinct, it will be the first butterfly unique to Japan.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, “It is a very critical situation for the conservation of species. We will continue monitoring in the Ogasawara Islands, and if the habitat is confirmed, we will promptly protect and protect it”.