Stream Now
Shows
See All Shows
Gold Rush
Naked and Afraid
Expedition Unknown
Deadliest Catch
Moonshiners
Harpoon Hunters
Homestead Rescue
See All Shows
Schedule
Shark Week

Once-extinct Caterpillars Hatch at Chester Zoo

By: Janet Lee

Conservationists from Chester Zoo have hatched 150 incredibly rare 1mm-long caterpillars. They are planned for release into the wild across parts of north west England, where they have been extinct for a century. Here’s how the once-extinct species has hope for being a common sight across England again.

Earlier this month, conservationists at Chester Zoo succeeded in breeding a caterpillar species that had been extinct in England since the 1800s. These newly hatched large heath caterpillars, only a couple millimeters long, will soon make their way back to their natural habitat in Manchester and Cheshire.

Photo Gallery

The Journey of Chester Zoo’s Newborn Caterpillars 4 Photos

150 large heath caterpillars hatched this month in England’s Chester Zoo. Here are images that follow the process of raising a once-extinct species.

Large heath butterflies were once common across the British isles. But in the recent 200 years, they have lost their colonies in Manchester’s wet mosslands that were drained and converted to farmland. As the land dried, this also caused a loss of food plants for butterflies, resulting in a cascade of wildlife disappearance.

“Few people realize that the butterflies we might see in our gardens, forests, and mosslands across the UK are heavily under threat, with many species disappearing from their last strongholds throughout England,” said Ben Baker, Team Manager of the Chester Zoo butterfly team.

Baker and his team have relocated these newborns to their specially designed habitats at the zoo. He explains that they will hibernate over the winter, pupate next year, and emerge as butterflies in summer.

“Although miniscule in size at the moment, we’ll watch them grow and grow in our care over the course of the year, wishing them farewell in the spring,” he said. “It is an amazing privilege to play a part in embarking these rare caterpillars on their journey, returning the species to their historic home.”

Source: Chester Zoo. The Chester Zoo supports conservationists and conservation projects across the United Kingdom to prevent the extinction of unique and endangered species, safeguarding diverse and healthy ecosystems.

Next Up

Manatee’s Cousins Have Vanished from the Ocean

Dugongs, the peaceful ‘sea cows’ of the ocean have been declared functionally extinct in China. The vegetarian mammal has vanished from the coastlines of Asia and Africa.

New Discovery May Save Nearly Extinct Turtle Species

After the 2019 loss of the last confirmed female Swinhoe Softshell Turtle in China, extinction was all but confirmed. But a new discovery gives hope to the species: a female turtle living in a lake in Vietnam.

Meet This Unique Otter Species

A few months ago, Georgia Aquarium welcomed two new additions to their Asian small-clawed otter habitat. Triton, a 4-year-old female, and Han, a 3-year-old male, joined the Aquarium as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Program (SSP).

Can Ecuador’s New Approach to Monitoring Butterflies Help Save Them?

Butterflies, once a familiar sight around the world, are plummeting toward extinction due to colossal threats from pesticides, habitat loss and climate change.

Virgin Births: The First California Condor Chicks Born from Unfertilized Eggs

The first two instances of asexual reproduction have been confirmed in the California condor species.THE ZOO: SAN DIEGO is streaming on discovery+.

The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is Officially Extinct, Along with 22 Other Species

Preserved too late, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared almost two dozen previously endangered species as extinct, underscoring a larger problem of climate change and habitat loss in America.

Catching a Glimpse of Comet NEOWISE, a Once in a Lifetime Moment

If you find yourself in a place with clean air and an unobstructed view of the night sky, you will undoubtedly be mesmerized by its starry-depth and beauty.

If Cicadas Come Out Once Every 17 Years, Why Do You See Them Every Summer?

These mysterious insects have one of the strangest life cycles in the natural world.

How the Mediterranean Became a Corridor of Death for Birds

Across the world, the bird population is thinning due to illegal poaching and habitat loss, especially in Europe and Africa during migratory seasons. Conservation groups globally are trying to protect our nearly extinct feathered creatures.

The Battle is on to Save North Carolina's Rare Red Wolf

There are less than 10 wild red wolves left in the world and there’s a fierce battle going on to save them. The wolves, a rare red species, are only found in North Carolina, despite having once roamed throughout the eastern and south central US.