Citizen Science: The First Peninsular Malaysia Butterfly Count

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Southeast Asia faces significant biodiversity loss, with Malaysia being a critical hotspot.
• Urgent need for biodiversity monitoring and public engagement in Malaysia to address wildlife decline.
• Citizen science offers a powerful tool for long-term biodiversity monitoring and public outreach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct the first citizen science-based butterfly count in Peninsular Malaysia.
• To engage the public in biodiversity monitoring and raise awareness of conservation issues.
• To establish a baseline dataset for future butterfly community change monitoring.

Main Methods:

• A citizen science project involving the public in butterfly sampling on June 6, 2015.
• Non-lethal sampling of butterfly legs for species identification via DNA barcoding.
• Data collection from 26 urban and suburban localities across Peninsular Malaysia.

Main Results:

• Fifty-seven citizens participated, sampling 220 butterfly legs.
• 192 usable DNA barcodes identified 43 butterfly species.
• Widely distributed and potentially invasive species dominated sampled habitats.

Conclusions:

• The first Peninsular Malaysia Butterfly Count successfully engaged citizens and collected valuable data.
• Established a baseline for monitoring butterfly community patterns and changes.
• Highlighted the prevalence of widespread and potentially invasive species in sampled areas.