The Xerces blue butterfly, which became extinct in 1943 due to urban development in San Francisco, is being represented by the Silvery blue butterfly through recent conservation efforts. Wildlife experts have sequenced the genome of the Xerces blue and identified the Silvery blue as its closest relative. Seven Silvery blue butterflies have been released in the Presidio in a bid to restore native species and fulfill the ecological role once played by the Xerces blue. This initiative is not a de-extinction project, but it aims to rejuvenate the local ecosystem, emphasizing habitat preservation.
The Xerces blue butterfly, once common in San Francisco, became extinct due to urban development. Experts now reintroduced the Silvery blue butterfly as its closest relative.
Finding out the closest relatives of the extinct Xerces blue butterfly raised hope among conservationists. Researchers sequenced its genome and identified the Silvery blue butterfly as the key to restoring this lost species.
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