Saving the world’s largest butterfly

THE world's largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, has a wingspan of 30cm. - EDDIE MALAISA

The world’s largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, is a spectacular sight in Papua New Guinea (PNG). It has a wingspan of 30cm, at least 10 times the size of common butterflies.

But it is severely endangered. Although officially recognised as “under threat” for more than four decades, and protected under PNG’s national laws and global laws against wildlife smuggling, those measures have not yet been enough to save the legendary birdwing from encroaching agriculture and logging as well as illegal collecting/poaching.