eShowe butterfly dome faces race against time
Community appeal to support restoration efforts before hundreds of swallowtail pupae hatch in August
A recent tornado and hailstorm has temporarily closed the eShowe Butterfly Dome after falling trees damaged its netting, releasing around 500 resident butterflies.
Supervisor and zoologist Dr Américo Bonkewitzz is now appealing to the community to support restoration efforts before hundreds of swallowtail pupae hatch in August.
Established in 2012 next to Fort Nongqayi Museum Village under uMlalazi Municipality, the 20m wide and 10m high geodesic dome protects indigenous butterflies and host plants from the adjacent Afromontaine forest.
These include South Africa’s largest butterfly, the emperor swallowtail.
Butterflies are important pollinators and vital indicators of environmental health.
“Butterflies are used as a gateway to teach children the importance of local biodiversity. By observing the butterfly’s lifecycle, children develop an appreciation of nature and the forest, and come to understand the intricate connections and dependencies that sustain the ecosystem,” said Bonkewitzz.
Thousands of school groups, visitors, international tourists, and researchers have visited this living classroom, making it a true community conservation effort.
“The dome is part of eShowe – it belongs to the town,” said Bonkewitzz.
While the municipality has removed the fallen trees and the metal structure remains intact, fundraising is under way to reach a R22 000 goal for labour and materials.
Existing netting will be pressure-cleaned and reused to save costs, and a new reinforcement cap will be added to protect against future wind events.
The project would also appreciate the donation of a high-pressure cleaner.
Donations
• Donations can be made directly via EFT: FNB; account name: Butterflying.co.za; account no: 62366682485; branch: eShowe; reference: Your name+EBD
• Alternatively, donors requiring an S18A tax certificate can contribute through the African Conservation Trust’s ‘Restore the eShowe Butterfly Dome‘ campaign on Given Gain.
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