Environment

Butterfly crossing in Taiwan during Milkweed migration season

by Amy Judd | April 3, 2009 at 02:59 pm

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A butterfly crossing has been set up in Taiwan during the annual Milkweed migration to help the species survive their journey.

A highway lane has been closed, and the speed limit lowered, and nets put up at the side of the road to make sure that the thousands of Milkweed butterflies can survive as they fly from the south to the north to breed.

The butterflies are native to an island off China and are recognizable by their white dots on their purple/ brown wings.

Many butterflies were killed every year as they crossed the highway and were hit by speeding vehicles or killed from the rush of wind the vehicles created.

"More than 10,000 butterflies will spread their wings to fly high, bravely crossing the highway, on a different kind of life-or-death journey," the bureau said in a statement, calling the migration "one of a kind."

The roadkill rate is now 0.3 percent, compared with 3 percent from before the government implemented these measures.
The speed limit is now only 60 kilometres an hour and a two mile stretch has been blocked where butterflies cross at over 500 per minute and a 13 foot high net guides the butterflies above the traffic.

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jazzyzazzy

at 15:31 on April 3rd, 2009

Awe I love wee butterflys nice to know that some care enough to try and keep them safe.

JeffHuang

at 15:58 on April 3rd, 2009

This is their official website. Sorry, don't think there is an english version.

Pythiian1

at 20:10 on April 3rd, 2009

It's great that Taiwanese authority has accommodated the annual migration.

hidflect

at 21:04 on April 3rd, 2009

I only spent 2 days in Taiwan on the way from Hong Kong to China. But I was very impressed by the sensible, sharp-minded, business sense the people all had that was ameliorated by the strong sense of genuine social and environmental concern. More than Japan even. What a difference to Hong Kong, where the manner and mindset gravitated about a locust like obsession for ostentatious consumption and excess. China was just sad...