JP/13/Banti

Bantimurung, The Kingdom of Butterflies

Andi Hajramurni Correspondent/Ujung Pandang

British zoologist Alfred Russel Wallace once called Bantimurung National Recreation Park the Kingdom of Butterflies.

The park is home to butterflies of numerous colors, patterns and sizes. They fly freely, alighting on the banks of a swimming hole and flitting from place to place.

For hundreds of years, Bantimurung butterflies have been known, at home and abroad, for their beauty. Several species are found only in this area. One of them is Papiio androcles, which, according to Wallace, who made an expedition to Bantimurung in 1856-1857, is a rare butterfly and the world's largest. During this expedition Wallace found about 270 species of living butterflies here.

From the moment of your arrival in Bantimurung you will catch sight of dozens of butterflies -- some brightly colored and others brown or black -- as well as children selling mounted specimens in glass frames or cardboard boxes. These mounted butterflies are sold for export in large quantities.

A box containing a dozen preserved butterflies of various species and sizes is sold for between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000.

One repercussion of the trade is that there are less butterflies in the national park than when it first opened. Some species have disappeared for good while others are very rare now.

It is estimated that Bantimurung is home to some 300 species of butterflies. Beddu Daeng Rewa, a resident of Bantimurung who has spent much of his life examining and naming the butterflies there, has a collection of 110 species. However, many of these can only be seen in an insectarium or in Daeng Rewa's private collection in his house.

The number of species that have disappeared from Bantimurung is not known. The Papilio androcles, which Wallace greatly admired, is believed to be extinct.

Chairman of South Sulawesi's Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) Edy Purwanto said, "It is true that some species are now rare or have become extinct. That's why, part of this area has been designated as a conservation site where the illegal collection of butterflies is forbidden. In this way, we will ensure the survival of the species now found in Bantimurung," he said.

One reason for the reduced number of butterflies, Eddy said, was the great number of visitors to this park. Another reason could be the limited types of vegetation as not all butterflies feed on the same plants.

The theory that butterfly collection for the souvenir industry is to blame is perhaps the most subscribed to. But Ahmad Affendy Rewa, who breeds butterflies in captivity, said if the butterflies were not caught they would die anyway as their lifespan is just three weeks.

"Still, we need to breed them in captivity to ensure that the butterfly population in this conservation area does not drop. In this way, the existing species will survive," said Effendy, who manages the park's insectarium.

Although the BKSDA has designated part of Bantimurung area as a conservation site, many children can be seen netting butterflies, particularly in places where they congregate.

The practice of catching butterflies illegally continues as not all species -- particularly the ones popular with buyers -- can be bred in captivity.

While the government has allowed butterflies to be bred for commercial purposes, some of those bred in captivity, Edy said, should be set free, citing four protected species:Troides halipron, Troides helena, Troides hypolitus and Cethosia myrina.