Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Prague Zoo Contributes to Global Effort to Save Critically Endangered Stick Insect
PRAGUE – In a bid to bolster the survival of a critically endangered insect species, the Prague Zoo has become a participant in an international conservation initiative. This remarkable effort focuses on the Lord Howe Island stick insect, a creature once believed to be extinct for over eight decades.
Rare Opportunity to View Giant Stick Insects
The Prague Zoo is now among a select group of six institutions globally that have successfully replicated the necessary habitat for the Lord Howe Island stick insect, also known as phasmid. This extraordinary insect, the largest flightless species of its kind, can reach lengths of up to 15 centimeters (5.9 inches). Visitors to the Prague Zoo have a unique opportunity to observe these fascinating creatures, an experience shared by only a few other locations, including zoos in London and San Diego.
Lord Howe Island Stick Insect: From Presumed Extinction to Conservation
The Lord Howe Island stick insect originates from a secluded archipelago situated in the Tasman Sea, near Australia. This isolated island chain, uninhabited when discovered in 1788, faced ecological disruption in 1918. The accidental introduction of rats from a ship wrecked offshore seemingly decimated the native stick insect population, leading to the presumption of their extinction.
Rediscovery and Breeding Program
Decades later, in the 1960s, signs of the insects were detected by mountain climbers on Balls Pyramid, a remote rocky islet located 23 kilometers (14 miles) from Lord Howe Island. Confirmation of surviving specimens came in 2001, reigniting hope for the species. To ensure the long-term survival of this critically endangered species, two pairs were transported to Australia to initiate a crucial breeding program.
Prague Zoo’s Specialized Facility
Vojtěch Vít, a specialist keeper at the Prague Zoo, highlighted the delicate nature of these insects, stating, “They demonstrated incredible resilience to survive for a century in the harsh environment of Balls Pyramid. Now, they require meticulous care to thrive in a captive setting.”
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Advanced Measures for Insect Protection
The Prague Zoo constructed a specialized, climate-controlled facility, complete with disinfection protocols for keepers entering the enclosure. These stringent measures are essential to safeguard the insects from bacterial and viral infections, to which they are particularly vulnerable. Furthermore, the zoo secured official authorization from Australian authorities to participate in this vital breeding endeavor.
Goal: Reintroduction to Natural Habitat
The ultimate objective of this international breeding program is the reestablishment of the Lord Howe Island stick insect in its native habitat on Lord Howe Island. This ambitious conservation goal is contingent on the successful eradication of rats from the island, which was achieved in 2019, paving the way for the potential return of this remarkable species to its natural environment.