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“In 2017, I flew from Detroit to Minneapolis, nervously holding precious cargo � two small vials, each with one butterfly egg. These eggs were the beginnings of a new and innovative project to save a species on the brink of extinction, the federally endangered Poweshiek skipperling.�
A Very Rare Butterfly
Poweshiek skipperlings (Oarisma poweshiek) are small, slender-bodied butterflies that were once found throughout the upper Midwest and as far north as Manitoba, Canada. With distinctive white veins on dark brown wings, the Poweshiek skipperling “skipped� across the prairies they call home, helping pollinate the plants around them.
The number of Poweshiek skipperling began to decline in the early 2000s. By 2022, some estimated that there were around 30 butterflies left in the wild found in a handful of locations in Michigan and Manitoba. The Poweshiek skipperling was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 2014 to help protect the remaining butterflies.
Thinking Outside the Box
Tamara Smith is a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and a species expert for the Poweshiek skipperling. Seeing the decline of this increasingly rare butterfly, Smith decided to act:
“As the number of butterflies plummeted, I helped form a team of international scientists working to save the species.�
Smith and other partners gathered in Minnesota to identify ways to save the Poweshiek skipperling. By the end of the workshop, the team was thinking outside of the box and identified a path forward.
“We decided to initiate the first ever zoo rearing program, which had not been attempted for the Poweshiek skipperling or closely related species. This would be accomplished by collecting eggs, rearing them in captivity and releasing them back into the wild,� explained Smith.
Given how few butterflies remained and the novel nature of the effort, risk and troubleshooting were inevitable, but the Minnesota Zoo was up for the challenge.
An Innovative Permit
A key to this process was a recovery permit.
Under the Endangered Species Act, the Poweshiek skipperling is protected from “take� which includes capturing and handling the species. The recovery permit allows for specific exemptions to this protection, while offering data and insights that aid the recovery of the butterfly.
The Zoo therefore needed to complete a , as well as provide study plans, references and qualifications for the people involved in the effort. Issuing a recovery permit can then take time and includes a 30-day comment period in the Federal Register. Applying early and submitting a complete application was critical.
Erik Runquist is a conservation scientist with the Minnesota Zoo who has applied for the Poweshiek skipperling recovery permit. He shared, “Getting as much information at the beginning of the process helped establish a framework, but equally as important was being able to adapt and communicate with each other about what was or wasn’t working.�
The iterative process and conversations among partners helped inform the rigorous review of this application.
Runquist added, “We’re trying to do the work in a way that helps the species and accomplishes some of the legal framework, to down-list and reduce the need for oversight or regulation...(The permits) are not a one way ask, it’s a collaborative effort.�
For the Poweshiek skipperling, the permit allowed the zoo to test new techniques to increase the survival success of the butterfly. The team navigated many unknowns, but persevered and succeeded. Smith shared the teams� approach: �I know this is a hump, a setback, but now we can learn from it and maintain the passion for the work...And after a few years, we were able to breed the species in captivity, which also dramatically increased the number of butterflies that were ready for release.�
Other species are also benefitting from the work done with the Poweshiek skipperling. For example, the Dakota skipper was included in the Minnesota Zoo’s permit, which helped with information sharing across the conservation efforts.
Digitization Makes the Process Easier
Applying for a recovery permit was previously offered only via mail, but in 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched ePermits to provide an online option. The recovery permit application was then fully digitized in May of 2024, which removed the need to download and re-upload parts of the application.
Runquist explained, “The ePermits system has made things dramatically more effective, more efficient and much more nimble in our ability to submit applications or make revisions.�
The digitization of recovery permits also helps improve data tracking and increases access to information about the species. Online forms help guide the process by tailoring questions based on the application. Applicants can now pay online and have greater transparency to the status of their application too.
Practice also makes perfect. For repeat applicants, like the Minnesota Zoo, the process typically gets easier with time and experience.
To Efficiency and Beyond!
The work surrounding the Poweshiek skipperling established a legal framework for future recovery efforts. Streamlined processes and standardized templates, supported by digitization through ePermits, have further created efficiencies that help protect the species.
The partnership has also grown. Building upon the husbandry and release protocols, John Ball Zoo and Michigan State University joined the effort to aid in the Poweshiek skipperlings recovery in the U.S. The Assiniboine Park Zoo launched a parallel program in Canada. Other efforts, such as invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species management and additional research, have complemented the captive rearing success.
Each year, the number of butterflies released is growing! About 1,250 Poweshiek skipperling were released into the wild in 2025 in the U.S. The work has also expanded and benefits a greater diversity of pollinators, facilitating connections across partners and capitalizing on capacity.
Ruquist shared, �(The Poweshiek skipperling) is very much an underdog story. This small butterfly that nobody really knew about…The hope is to regain this iconic and once very common butterfly on our prairies, which is an area for hope…We're seeing a lot of new adults and a lot more unmarked wild individuals who were the product of prior years of Zoo-managed releases into the wild. It looks like (the Poweshiek skipperling) is being pulled back from the brink of extinction.�
Work still remains, but the willingness of the partnership to think outside of the box, innovate and take a risk led to these conservation gains. While only a part, the recovery permit helped unlock these successes.
Additional Resources
For more information about the Poweshiek skipperling or recovery permits, check out the following resources:
