Let’s all work together to “guide the butterflies into the valley!” Help the Euploea butterflies find their warm home again.

▲Illustration: The magnificent sight of Euploea butterflies. (Photo / Courtesy of the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration official website)

By HowToTrip Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

It’s butterfly-watching season again.The “2016–2017 Taiwan Maolin Purple Butterfly Valley ~ Biennial Butterfly-Watching Season Series of Events” will grandly kick off on November 5th.For nearly five months, in addition to hosting a variety of rich activities, efforts will be made to carry out a “nectar plant planting” campaign to restore the comfortable habitat for Euploea butterflies, which have decreased due to environmental damage caused by Typhoons Morakot and Megi. Those who participate in predicting the dates when the butterflies enter the valley or begin their northern migration may even have a chance to win an iPhone 7.

In previous years during autumn and winter, the valleys of Maolin District in Kaohsiung City served as the southern overwintering habitat for Euploea butterflies. However, this year, due to the impact of typhoons, the butterfly population once dwindled to just over 100,000, which was worrying. But thanks to the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration’s efforts to “guide the butterflies into the valley,” over a hundred volunteers were mobilized to plant “Eupatorium luchuense,” providing nectar plants for adult butterflies. It is estimated that nearly 300,000 Euploea butterflies will gather in the valley, potentially exceeding last year’s numbers.

In addition to environmental restoration activities, there will also be the Maolin Rukai Butterfly Conservation Market, Butterfly-Watching Picnic Day, Tona Harvest Festival, Butterfly-Loving Companionship Events, the Northern Migration Relay Closing Ceremony, various butterfly-watching package tours, as well as weekly “Euploea Butterfly Tagging” eco-guided tours every Saturday and Sunday—offering a rich program. Visitors are welcome to come and admire the precious Euploea butterflies, join the “Love Maolin, Protect Butterflies” campaign, and find out more on the official website of the Maolin National Scenic Area Administration.

Main Activities

Opening of the Maolin Biennial Butterfly-Watching Season
Time: November 5, 2016 (Sat) 10:00–13:00
Venue: Maolin Ecological Park

Maolin Rukai Butterfly Conservation Market
Time: November 5, 6, 26, 27, December 3, 4, 2016; January 28, 29, February 25, 26, 2017
Venue: Maolin Office, Fengshan District Farmers’ Association

Butterfly-Watching Package Tours
To promote eco-tourism, several one-day and two-day domestic tour packages have been launched in collaboration with Taiwan Tour Bus and High-Speed Rail Holidays.

Closing Ceremony of the Biennial Butterfly-Watching Season and Northern Migration Relay Event
Time: March 25, 2017 (Sat)
Venue: Siraya National Scenic Area (No. 1-1, Xiancao Li, Baihe District, Tainan City)

Maolin Purple Butterfly 3D Audiovisual Hall (Free Screenings)
Screening Times: 08:30–12:00, 13:30–16:30
※ Screenings occur every half hour
※ Group screenings for 10 or more people can be reserved online during the event period.