Taxacom: Fund raising for taxonomic study

[Geoff Read]

Yes John, saw that story. Interesting. Funding a Ph.D. from external money
is not unusual but appealing to the public is innovative.  It must be a
positive that now we have schemes like "Givealittle" that allow the public
to contribute directly, if they want.  Commendable that retired
entomologist George Gibbs is donating a sizeable sum himself.

Here is the main web link:

https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stuff.co.nz%2Fenvironment%2F130270888%2Funravelling-the-mystery-of-a-littleunderstood-native-butterfly&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7Ceccefcb153d245a8e31708dabb875346%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638028487143792444%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=1upXz1Vb%2BaBf5sZdoWR%2BzsWEXqsXoyCHOAS3m3xk5no%3D&reserved=0

quote: "If you love NZ and our endemic species, even a few dollars will
help us reach our goal."

https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgivealittle.co.nz%2Fcause%2Fsave-nzs-butterflies&data=05%7C01%7Ctaxacom%40lists.ku.edu%7Ceccefcb153d245a8e31708dabb875346%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C638028487143792444%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pcOBc1G1hEcrIJLrRxUX3wHw4TIgblTd7W9zBTVVfd4%3D&reserved=0

Geoff Read
gread at actrix.gen.nz


On Tue, November 1, 2022 4:51 am, John Grehan via Taxacom wrote:
> Below is the text of a newspaper article from a NZ newspaper about an
> effort to raise funding for some basic taxonomy of a butterfly
> genius because the "scientific funding model in NZ does not support this
> type of work". I guess NZ has now entered the scientific-industrial
> complex
> where such studies are no longer a standard option (when I was a student
> it
> was all a matter of finding a student interested in a taxonomic topic, not
> so much an issue of finding money). I guess such antiquated approaches are
> now discarded. Anyway, I thought the general scope might be of interest to
> taxonomists interested in issues like this. I have a scan of the original
> article should anyone want that.
>
> Nicholas Boyack,
>
> A group of butterfly experts is trying to unravel the mystery of the
> copper
> butterfly.
>
> So little is known about this New Zealand butterfly, which some experts
> fear is facing extinction, it is not even known how many varieties there
> are. Coppers are grouped into four scientifically named species but there
> could be more than 20 individual species within these groups.
>
> To fill the void, a group of butterfly experts and enthusiasts formed the
> Butterfly Discovery Project to fund a PhD student to try to help solve the
> mystery of the copper butterfly.
>
> Copper butterflies were first identified during Captain Cook's Endevour
> voyage.
>
> Butterflies that had been collected were sold to a specimen trader on
> arrival in London. Only a painting by William Jones in 1775 ??? known as
> an
> iconotype ??? was used to identify the butterfly and no original specimens
> have ever been located.
>
> The result is that most copper butterflies have been grouped together as
> just 'common coppers' when there may be many more.
>
> Dr. George Gibbs, a retired professor from Victoria University of
> Wellington, has studied butterflies for more than 50 years, including a
> new
> extinct ringlet population near his Eastbourne home.
>
> There were many factors contributing to the loss of butterflies, including
> habitat loss, the use of poisons, and introduced pests like the German
> wasp, he said.
>
> In order to study copperbutterfllies they first need to be properly
> identified and named, using scientific methods including DNA.
>
> Native butterflies did not enjoy the high profile New Zealand birds facing
> extinction such as the takah?? and k??k??p?? had, Gibbs said.
>
> New Zealanders hardly ever see butterflies, and Gibbs said that had also
> reflected in the amount of scientific interest coppers attracted.
>
> Although there had been local extinctions, due to habitat loss, Gibbs said
> it was not clear if coppers were facing total extinction.
>
> Project manager said it was hard to save a species, when it did not even
> have a scientific name.
>
> ???Sadly, the scientific funding model in NZ does not support this type of
> work so we must raise money through crowdfunding, just to be able to
> identify and name our important fauna.???
>
> Once that work had been done, the coppers could be included in national
> conservation programmes with the Department of Conservation.
>
> ???Some of our coppers are extinct already, or on the edge of
> extinction.???
> said Dr. Robert Hoare of Mannaaki Whenua Landcare Research, who will be
> one
> of the student's supervisors.
>
> Gibbs has pledged $50,000 as seed money in memory of his grandfather,
> renowned entomologist GV Hudson. The project has a Givealittle page and is
> aiming to raise $130,000.
>
>
>
> --
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> Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity and admiring alliteration for
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--
Geoffrey B. Read, Ph.D.
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
gread at actrix.gen.nz