Subfamily Heliconiinae.: A largely pantropical group, with one of the five tribes found in the Holarctic Region.
​
Tribe Acraeini: There are two Afrotropical genera contained within this tribe; Telchinia and Acraea, both represented at Semuliki. There are 138 described Afrotropical species within this tribe with 104 species recorded in Uganda. At Semuliki a total of 45 species from both genera have been recorded: 25 from the genus Telchinia and 20 species of Acraea, contributing to a third of the Ugandan species total.
Genus Cymothoe: There are 15 species of the Afrotropical genus Cymothoe so far recorded at Semuliki from a.continent total of 78 (Williams, 2018) and a Ugandan total of 17 (Williams, 2015) or 90% of Uganda's total. The two Ugandan species not being recorded at Semuliki being C. distincta and C. indamora, but with both these species being recorded either in the Ituri Forest or Semliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018) it is a distinct possibility that they will also be found in Semuliki. Only three species are frequently sampled in traps and these are C. sangaris, C. cyclades and C. confusa. This genus has been categorised into clades nd the most commonly trapped species C. confusa had a distinctly clumped distribution within Semuliki. Species from this genus were observed more in the forest midstorey as compared to the preference of the forest floor for the genera Bebearia, Euphaedra and Euriphene.
Genus Cymothoe: There are 15 species of the Afrotropical genus Cymothoe so far recorded at Semuliki from a.continent total of 78 (Williams, 2018) and a Ugandan total of 17 (Williams, 2015) or 90% of Uganda's total. The two Ugandan species not being recorded at Semuliki being C. distincta and C. indamora, but with both these species being recorded either in the Ituri Forest or Semliki Valley (Ducarme, 2018) it is a distinct possibility that they will also be found in Semuliki. Only three species are frequently sampled in traps and these are C. sangaris, C. cyclades and C. confusa. This genus has been categorised into clades nd the most commonly trapped species C. confusa had a distinctly clumped distribution within Semuliki. Species from this genus were observed more in the forest midstorey as compared to the preference of the forest floor for the genera Bebearia, Euphaedra and Euriphene.
BUTTERFLY
Research, Conservation and Education
Semuliki National Park, Uganda
Project team
Scott Forbes - Research Coordinator
Scott is a biologist who has managed a diverse range of wildlife conservation projects from mammals to reptiles and insects. He has worked with African wild dogs in Zambia and Red foxes and Arabian wildcats in Saudi Arabia. Sea turtle projects have ranged from the Caribbean, Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. More recently though, he tries as often as possible to return to Semuliki to create the special recipe of fermenting bananas required to attract the maximum number of butterflies. He completed his PhD 'The ecology and conservation of a fruit-feeding butterfly assemblage in a Ugandan lowland rainforest' in 2018.
King Geoffrey Nzitu - Field Assistant
Geoffrey is recognised as the traditional Batwa King in the Semuliki Forest area. He has worked with the project since its inception and sets the canopy traps and can locate any piece of missing equipment in the field with ease. His stories in the field of the Batwa's forest traditions are legendary. He also provides private tours of Semuliki (along the Batwa trail) which includes presenting the ancestral heritage of the Batwa and their close historical association with Semuliki National Park.
Sam Manzi - Field Assistant
Sam is a member of the local Bwamba tribe and lives within the community at Ntandi, another local village adjacent to the park border. Along with Edison he is among a number of young Ugandans who are taking an interest in nature conservation, especially insect related and he is also passionate in contributing to the park's protection and conservation. Again he is being mentored by Joachim and is quickly learning to sample, identify and record butterflies in the field.
_JPG.jpg)
Joachim Muteibisa - Senior Field Researcher
Joachim is a community elder of the Bakonjo tribe and lives near the local trading centre of Ntandi where he runs a local guesthouse. He joined the project in 2014 and has contributed to all field research activities. He is now an expert in identifying Ugandan lowland forest fruit-feeding butterfly species in the field and helps logistically with finding the local skills necessary to maintain or replace equipment. He is also available for private tours around Semuliki, Semliki Valley and the Rwenzoris.
Edson Baluku - Field Assistant
Edison is a member of the local Bakonjo tribe and lives within the community at Bundimasoli, adjacent to the park border. He is passionate in contributing to the park's protection and conservation and under the tutelage of Joachim has been quickly learning to sample, identify and record butterflies in the field. Edison along with Sam (below) attempt to work in Semuliki (along with Joachim) recording butterflies when allowed the option to access the park with permission from the warden.
_JPG.jpg)
Justice Oribokiriho
Justice was a UWA ranger for over 15 years. At Semuliki he could identify over 400 bird species and their calls and was internationally famous for his birding skills. Since collaborating with the fruit-feeding butterfly project since its inception he had become the foremost Ugandan lepidopterist. He recorded and identified numerous new records of butterfly species at the park. Previously he was a highly regarded chimpanzee tracker at Semliki-Toro Wildlife Reserve before working at Semuliki. After Semuliki he worked at Kibale National Park but would always be available to work with the project when required.
Justice Oribokiriho
(1977-2022)
On November 14th Justice unexpectedly died at a hospital near Kibale National Park. The foremost Ugandan Lepidopterist and a dedicated conservationist, he will be missed not only for his skills in birding, chimpanzee tracking and butterfly guiding but the friendship and guidance he offered to so many people. He influenced numerous Ugandans to follow in his passion for butterfly research and conservation. His presence at Semuliki was always huge and will not be forgotten.
