Endangerment and Economics
What Would We Lose?
Toll without Tourism
40% of the population of Papua New Guinea currently lives in poverty. (Voegeli, 2017) The infrastructure of Papua New Guinea is unstable, with many different ethnic tribes constantly undergoing conflict, not to mention the constant risk of disease and epidemics in the country. (Bethge, 2012) Tourism in Papua New Guinea is a 35 million dollar industry that provides for the people of Papua New Guinea who otherwise would struggle through poor living conditions. (International Finance Corporation, 2016) The Queen Alexandra’s Butterfly is known around the world for its beauty and uniqueness. But without the income brought in from tourism related to this magnificent creature, families in Papua New Guinea, especially in the Oro Province and Mangalas Plateau, would suffer greatly.
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The picture to the left shows a beautiful waterfall.
(Image by Matthew Morse from Pixabay )
(Morse,2019)
The picture to the right shows the Rabaul Volcano, a popular tourist site in Papua New Guinea.
(Image by JulesR from Pixabay )
(R,2019)
More than Just an Insect
To indigenous tribes, the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is known as dadakul. They are proud of its beauty and unique coloring and size, and it holds deep cultural significance. As activist Kenn Mondiai states: “It symbolizes the diversity and value of our nature.” (Bethge, 2012) If the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing were to disappear completely, it would be devastating to the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea who value it so dearly. The butterfly also holds a large amount of aesthetic value, which is a reason why it is both valued by indigenous tribes and by butterfly traders.
The picture is a close up of a tulip. It emphasizes the pollen within the tulip.
(Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay )
(Germany,2019)
Purpose of Pollination
Butterflies and other pollinators provide ⅓ of the food that humans eat.
Butterflies such as the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing pass pollen from plant to plant, ensuring ecosystem health. The total economic value that we receive from pollination is anywhere between $235 billion and $577 billion dollars, a staggering amount (Bethge, 2012). As key pollinators continue to go extinct, we continue to put all earths species in peril. Pollination is also an instrumental use-value which means that they benefit all plant and animal species around them through pollination which is a natural service.
What are the Major Threats?
The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterfly used to roam and live freely in 27 protected butterfly reserves. Now, 20 of those 27 reserves have been given up for palm oil harvesting. (Bethge, 2012)
Problems with Palm Oil
To save this butterfly, it would require a complete halt in the palm oil production in the provinces in which Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is located. However, the palm oil industry provides greatly for the Papua New Guinea population, and a decrease in production would hurt their growing yet fragile economy. Even so, a major outcome of palm oil harvesting is deforestation, which also takes an enormous economic toll, and is one that is long term. In fact, deforestation costs 4.5 trillion dollars worldwide through the loss of biodiversity (Amadeo, 2019). Deforestation makes the rainforest ecosystem more susceptible to droughts, floods, and wildfires because it reduces the tree canopy. We must stop destroying forest ecosystems for the sake of humanity and all other species on earth.
In addition to palm oil, cocoa and rubber, which produce tens of millions of dollars yearly for Papua New Guinea, are also farmed on the butterfly reserves.
Trees Are More Than Lumber
From a capitalist perspective, trees, or more so, lumber, are seen as money. As habitat destruction is the primary issue for the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, the money that lumber companies in Papua New Guinea receive from chopping down trees is directly correlated with the destruction of the butterfly’s habitat.
The estimated net worth of rainforests is 33 trillion dollars. (Butler, 2012)
A large pile of Lumber.
(Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay )
(Skitterians, R., & Skitterians, P, 2019)
Trade is Taxing for Butterflies
The Butterfly Trade is worth 200 million dollars globally.
A single Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly can cost up to $8,500 dollars (Stratton, 2012). They are captured from their natural habitats and sold to traders around the world. Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterflies are renowned by butterfly collectors for their rarity and value.
Although these butterflies provide income to black-market collectors, is it worth the extinction of such a beautiful species?