“The pawpaw, a native North American tree which produces a creamy banana-like fruit, mostly disappeared from Pittsburgh after the advent of the steel industry over a century ago. Now, thanks to the efforts of local conservationists, not only is the pawpaw back, but so are the butterflies that call it home. Call it the pawpaw butterfly effect — a beautiful illustration of local conservation done right,” notes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
The pawpaw-dependent zebra swallowtail butterfly, not seen in Pittsburgh since the early 20th century, was last photographed in the Highland Park area in 1937. But now it’s back…Zebra swallowtail butterfly caterpillars feed off the leaves of the pawpaw tree, while the mature adults will often feed on the pawpaw’s nectar as well as minerals from the soil surrounding the trees. These adult insects are large, with up to a four-inch wingspan, and really do resemble tiny flying zebras.
The return of the zebra swallowtail, after 87 years, is a huge success for naturalists, conservationists and native tree lovers. It indicates that what seems lost — due to climate change, industrialization and other byproducts of human civilization — might indeed be reversed…The desire to re-invest in native plants especially for the region’s riparian zones — that is, the areas adjacent to riverbanks — means more pawpaws, as they are naturally deer-and-erosion resistant.
A rare sticky plant is making a comeback in Scotland. In 2023, carnivorous plants were reintroduced to English wetlands.
Sturgeons recently returned to Sweden, a century after they disappeared from Swedish waters. In Spain, the Iberian lynx is no longer an endangered species.
In Brazil, a nasty tumor that kills sea turtles has dramatically diminished. Sea turtles have made a comeback in Florida, with sea turtle nests tripling near Kennedy Space Center.
Fish species are rebounding off the coast of California due to their young finding a sanctuary in abandoned oil rigs.
Wild horses recently returned to Kazakhstan after an absence of 200 years. Florida’s manatees have rebounded to their highest number in years.
