FRIDAY 26TH JUNE 2009
The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda is celebrating its 22nd birthday with the launch of its newest attraction – a “Behind-The-Scenes” Tour of the breeding laboratory.
A new walkway has been constructed between the butterfly flight aviary and the laboratory, the “engine room” of the sanctuary, which houses up to 4000 caterpillars.
This interesting and educational new experience is included with entry at no extra cost, and provides the opportunity to view first hand the breeding laboratory through special viewing windows, observing the caterpillars in their varying stages of development.
The largest live butterfly exhibit in Australia, the aviary is home to over 1500 tropical butterflies which are all local rainforest species, including the electric blue Ulysses butterfly, and the majestic green and yellow Cairns Birdwing, the largest butterfly in Australia.
The CaPTA Group Chairman Charles Woodward said the new tour showcases how they continuously stock the aviary with thousands of butterflies.
“All of our butterflies are actually hand-reared on the premises, with staff collecting and sterilising the eggs, then “hand-raising” the caterpillars through to the chrysalis stage, until they are released as butterflies into the aviary,” he said.
“Our staff don’t run around with big nets catching butterflies to put inside, which is probably what most people think!”
The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is open every day from 9:45am to 4:00pm (except Christmas Day). It opened in 1987 and has been visited by over a million people since.
An official launch for the new “Behind-The-Scenes” Laboratory Tour will take place on Wednesday 1st July from 4:00pm to 5:00pm at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Rob Veivers Drive, Kuranda.
For more information or to arrange a photo opportunity, please contact CaPTA PR Manager Ben Woodward on 0406 384 886 or 07 4041 9401.
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