Macedonia Fails to Protect the Macedonian Grayling Butterfly

The initiative to protect the Macedonian Grayling, the most endangered butterfly in Europe, from international trade has failed. The plan to place this species on the list of protected species under the International Convention on the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has not materialized. The Institute of Communication Studies, in cooperation with the international organization for the protection of wild species from trade Pro Wildlife, for almost ten months has been trying to present all the facts and scientific materials to the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, which was supposed to be the main applicant for the application to the Convention on behalf of the country. All attempts at cooperation were unsuccessful. The initiative was not met with interest in the Ministry, which resulted in the missed deadline for submitting an official application to the CITES Convention Assembly, this fall in Uzbekistan. This form of international protection from illegal trade is the only way to, at least somehow, protect this species from complete extinction. Meanwhile, this rare butterfly remains unprotected from illegal trade, but also due to the constant destruction of its habitat. To find out how the whole process unfolded, watch the video.