(Web Desk) - The rarest insect in the world has made it to North America for the first time as part of the San Diego Zoo’s conservation efforts.
The critically endangered Lord Howe Island stick insect was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered on a volcanic spire called Ball’s Pyramid on the island in 2001.
Two pairs of the bug were brought to the Australian mainland for breeding, including at the Melbourne Zoo, which has developed best practices for the species’ recovery.
Now, those efforts are being expanded thanks to a partnership between the Melbourne and San Diego zoos, the California zoo announced in a news release.
The San Diego Zoo is the only one in North America to work with the insect, also called “tree lobsters.”
Rats on Lord Howe Island eradicated the insects, leading to a 2019 campaign to eliminate the rodents.
This effort has led to an “ecological renaissance” of rare or presumed extinct plants and animals that were prey to the rats, the San Diego Zoo said.
The large insects can grow up to 6 inches in length when fully mature. They are nocturnal and will be on display in a specialized habitat at the Zoo’s Wildlife Explorers Basecamp after being raised in the McKinney Family Invertebrate Propagation Center.
“San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is committed to invertebrate conservation, and bringing our guests close to this rare and iconic species is a great way to raise awareness for the lesser-known animals that run the world.
In so many ways—pollination, decomposition, predation, and simply as food for other animals—invertebrates make life possible for us all,” said Paige Howorth, the McKinney Family director of invertebrate care and conservation.
Meticulous care goes into the rearing of these insects. The propagation center has a dedicated quarantine facility for the tree lobsters, where temperature and humidity are closely monitored.
The San Diego Zoo’s horticulture team is responsible for cultivating host plants for the species and traveled to Australia to collect seeds.