Wildlife

Wild UK Butterfly Conservation and Welfare

Conservation of UK butterfly populations facing habitat loss and climate change, with welfare considerations for individual insects.

Key Facts

UK butterfly populations have declined on average by 50% since the 1970s
Habitat specialists including marsh fritillary have suffered the most severe declines
Climate change is causing range shifts that benefit some species and harm others
Butterfly Conservation manages specialist habitats including chalk grassland and woodland rides
Gardens with native plants provide significant refuge for common and some uncommon species

Welfare Considerations

While invertebrate welfare science is still developing, the scale of butterfly decline represents the loss of millions of individual insects facing starvation and reproductive failure in degraded habitats. Conservation that restores habitat improves conditions for insect welfare.

What You Can Do

Plant native wildflowers to support butterfly caterpillars as well as adults
Support Butterfly Conservation and their habitat management programs
Participate in butterfly monitoring schemes to contribute population trend data