Saving Western Australia’s Endangered Butterflies: Northern Star and WA Museum Launch New Partnership

A critical new initiative is underway to protect some of Western Australia’s most vulnerable inhabitants. Northern Star Resources and the Foundation for the WA Museum have announced a major two-year research partnership with the Western Australian Museum to accelerate conservation efforts for two endangered butterfly species: Jalmenus aridus and Ogyris petrina.

This collaboration focuses on a targeted science program designed to inform recovery actions through intensive research, monitoring, and community engagement.

A Targeted Science Program for Real Impact

The project is led by WA Museum Research Associate Rod Eastwood, whose recent surveys have already uncovered vital information regarding the distribution and biology of these rare insects. To build on these early discoveries, the two-year program will utilize:

• Intensive Field Surveys: Mapping population hotspots across the state.
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• Genetic Sampling: Analyzing connectivity between populations to understand their evolutionary history.
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• Policy Action: Providing essential tools for regulators, land managers, and conservationists to improve survey accuracy and shape long-term strategies.
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The ultimate goal is to reduce the extinction risk for these rare endemic butterflies while strengthening the resilience of Western Australia's unique biodiversity.

Insights from Leadership

The partnership represents a significant intersection of industry, science, and philanthropy. Leaders from the involved organizations highlighted the importance of this collaborative approach:

"Industry partnerships are vital to the work of the Western Australian Museum, and its scientific impact. By supporting this project, and the ground-breaking work of Rod Eastwood, Northern Star and the Foundation for the WA Museum are directly contributing to our understanding and conservation of these threatened species." — Alec Coles, CEO WA Museum

Joanne McDonald, Joint Company Secretary at Northern Star Resources, emphasized the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship:

"Protecting Western Australia's unique biodiversity is important, and this partnership reflects our commitment to science that delivers real, lasting impact... By supporting the Foundation's research into these rare butterfly species, we're helping build the knowledge needed to guide effective conservation across the state."

Coralie Bishop, CEO of the Foundation for the WA Museum, added:

"The Foundation for the WA Museum is committed to enabling research that safeguards our natural heritage; this project exemplifies that mission."

Strengthening WA’s Biodiversity Resilience

Beyond the laboratory and the field, this partnership aims to inspire local action. Public programming will be integrated into the project to broaden awareness of extinction threats and encourage community-led conservation.

As fieldwork and genetic analysis begin immediately, the findings will be shared with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), land managers, and the broader scientific community through publications and public events over the next two years.