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<H1>Near extinct butterfly species return</H1>
<P><FONT class=small_text face=Verdana size=1>May 16, 2006, 7:57 GMT</FONT></P>
<P>LONDON, England (UPI) -- Intense conservation effort has helped bring back
six of Britain`s butterfly species from near extinction.</P>
<P>The recovery news comes amid disturbing studies about the dwindling
populations of three-quarters of Britain`s 60 odd species, reports the
Independent.</P>
<P>The recovering six species include Britain`s fastest disappearing heath
fritillary, as well as the high brown fritillary, the wood white, the
silver-spotted skipper, the adonis blue and most remarkably of all, the large
blue, which 25 years ago was believed to be extinct.</P>
<P>Part of the large blue`s problem is that the caterpillar spends much of its
life in an ants` nest. But careful management has allowed it to flourish on 10
sites in the west of England with an adult population count of 7,000, the report
said.</P>
<P>The new State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland study also confirmed
earlier research that 76 percent of the total species are dramatically shrinking
both in numbers and range. The study said butterflies are declining much faster
than either birds or wild flowers, largely because they are more sensitive to
environmental change.</P>
<P><FONT size=1>Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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