The Uncompahgre fritillary is now confined to small patches of habitat above 13,000 ft in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado where glacier-like environments have persisted since the last ice age.
An Imperiled Western Butterfly
The Uncompahgre fritillary is the last butterfly species to be discovered in the United States. Intensive collecting pressure, improper grazing by domestic livestock, periods of prolonged drought conditions, mining activity, and an increase in alpine recreation have coincided with a dramatic population decline of the butterfly. The range of the fritillary is incredibly small, consisting of a few tiny patches of alpine tundra above 13,000 feet.
Natural History
The Uncompahgre fritillary is an ashy orange-brown butterly that lives in patches of snow willow at high elevations. Due to the short growing season at such altitudes, the butterflies require two years to complete development from egg to adult. Endemic to the high alpine meadows of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, the fritillary population is small, with little genetic variability. These factors make it particularly challenging to protect this butterfly from human impacts.
Conservation Status
-Endangered Species, Endangered Species Act, 1982
-Xerces Society Critically Imperiled Species
Action Taken
Center for Native Ecosystems organized a field trip to important fritillary habitat in southwest Colorado to see first-hand and educate the public about threats to this beautiful, imperiled species. We continue working with partner organizations to raise attention to the sharp decline in population levels of this unique, high-alpine butterfly.
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CNE Comments for Uncompahgre Fritillary 5-Year Review
