A Very Lonely Caterpillar, Possibly the Last of Its Kind, Has Died

The Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly hasn’t been seen in the wild since 2022. The caterpillar was the last individual in human care.

Notably:

global warming, changes to wildfire, excessive grazing, invasive plants and recreation activities led to its decline, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s interpretation of the best available data. The insect has not been seen in the wild since 2022, but it may still exist.

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Scientists have long worried that climate change would lead to perilous mismatches in ecosystems, causing animals to wake or migrate at times when the plants they rely on are not available. Species at high elevations, like the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot, are especially at risk because they often can’t flee to cooler habitats.

“It’s called the elevator to extinction,” Dr. Baine said. “Moving up and up and up the slope until there’s nowhere else to go.”