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- Butterfly Farming
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Zanzibar Butterfly Centre
Zanzibar Butterfly Centre (ZBC) is a popular Zanzibar tourist attraction featuring a live display of Tanzanian butterflies. Revenue generated by tourist admissions provides funds for local projects in the form of alternative livelihoods, conservation and poverty alleviation.
ZBC works closely in association with Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Jozani Environmental Conservation Association (JECA) and Pete Development Association (PDA).
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Visit ZBC
- We are open 7 days a week, 9am-5pm, all year round.
The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre (ZBC) is an interactive butterfly exhibit near to Jozani-Chawka Bay National Park on Unguja island, though outside the park boundaries. The exhibit consists of a netted tropical garden with usually hundreds of butterflies, all of which are native species to Zanzibar. The enclosure is one of Africa's largest butterfly exhibits and provides residents and tourists of Zanzibar with an interactive and visual environment to learn about butterflies.At ZBC it is possible to experience butterflies feeding and flying very close at hand and to witness the complete life cycle of many species. The butterflies (in pupae form) are farmed sustainably by people from the villages around Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park.Our friendly and knowledgeable guides will greet you on your arrival and during the tour will explain the background to the project and about butterfly lifecycle and ecology. Tours usually last between 30-40mins but can be adapted to suit the visitor.
Admission Fees:International Visitors:
Adults - 8,000 TSH (or $5) / Children above 5 years - 4,000 TSH (or $3)Tanzanian Residents:
Adults - 4,000 TSH/ Children - 2,000 TSH/ Students - 2,000 TSH
Tanzania/Zanzibar Nationals:
Adults - 1,500 TSH / Children - 500 TSH/ Students - 500 TSH
Further information for tour companies and taxi drivers:We welcome large groups. Please contact us (mail@zanzibarbutterflies.com) to discuss the arrangements for a visit.
Further information for student groups:
We are pleased to receive visits from local and foreign students. Please contact us (mail@zanzibarbutterflies.com) if you would like to arrange a visit.
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Butterfly Farming
- Butterfly farming is the sustainable breeding of pupae for sale to local butterfly exhibits or for export to zoos and live exhibitions overseas.Butterfly farms are situated in close proximity to areas of natural forest and provide an alternative, sustainable income to rural communities. Farms have been established in many tropical countries worldwide - including the Philippines, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Most types of agriculture in tropical countries require forest clearance and this habitat destruction is a major cause of species extinction. Butterfly farming requires intact forest, thus providing an economic incentive to conserve habitats. As butterflies are bred and reared in enclosures with limited extraction from the wild, farming has a negligible impact on the health of wild populations.
Butterfly farming allows the local community to diversify their income generating activities. Work is carried out at home and can be fitted around childcare and domestic duties, providing a rare opportunity for women to participate. It also raises awareness among residents and decision makers of the benefits of conservation.
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Project Support
Funding
The project has been assisted generously by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership fund.
Furthermore, we would like to thank 50/50 for providing microloans to several of our farmers, and Care International, Zanzibar office, for funding the training of our 10 newest farmers.
Supporters
Thanks to all ZBC visitors, whose admision fees and donations are used to pay staff wages and to provide the farmers with an alternative, fair, income.
ZBC would like to thank the following individuals and organisations who have greatly helped the project:
- Dr. Tim Davenport (www.wcs.org)
- Dr. Julian Bayliss
- Dr. Bakari Asseid
- The Amani Butterfly Project (www.amanibutterflyproject.org)
- Mr. David Hayes
- Mr. Alex Murray and Silverdart Publishing (www.silverdart.co.uk)
Also, thanks to everyone who has supported our fundraising events to raise money for Pete Village - including the Butterfly Hop! and the wonderful Eyefest festival.
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Staff and Farmers
- StaffThe Zanzibar Butterfly Centre currently has 5 members of staff, 4 of whom live in Pete village – Alfred, Pandu, Omar and Awilo - and the Project Manager, who lives in nearby Paje.Alfred previously worked at the Amani Butterfly Project on the Tanzanian mainland. He joined the Zanzibar Butterfly Centre in 2007 when the project was just starting and was in need of his expertise and experience. He enjoyed the challenge and has been with the project ever since.
Pandu joined ZBC in 2006, successfully getting his job with the project after beating off many other applicants from Pete village. After undertaking training he now has a very strong knowledge about butterflies and ecology and is also able to speak basic Italian.
Awilo is responsible for keeping the garden in good shape for our visitors to enjoy. Awilo is our longest serving member of staff and was involved right from the beginning, helping to build the butterfly enclosure in 2007.
Omar is the newest member of the team, having joined ZBC in October 2011. He has many years experience as a weaving teacher and has spent time in South Africa, Mozambique and more recently working with Moto in Stonetown.
Farmers
Thirty seven farmers are currently part of the project and all of them live in the village of Pete.
Here are the profiles of some of them!
Before joining ZBC Kombo was farming cassava which meant he did not have much money. His favourite butterfly is the Flying Handkerchief because the butterflies lay many eggs and the caterpillars grow very quickly, turning into pupae within two and a half weeks.
Rungu used to make his money from charcoal production. He is now one of ZBC’s most successful farmers earning 5 times more money as a butterfly farmer than he did before. Rungu is using his money to build a house for his new family.
Previously working as a fisherman Ngala enjoys the educational aspect of being a butterfly farmer. He feels that there is a lot to learn with butterfly farming and he also enjoys learning and using English at the project.
Haji is one of our newest farmers. He believes that ZBC does a good job trying to protect the forest. He says that if people work as butterfly farmers they don’t need to make money from cutting down trees anymore.
Kinyeta is a big fan of butterflies. He joined ZBC in 2008 and is very pleased that the project offers jobs to young people in Pete. His favourite butterfly is the Green Banded Swallowtail because of its beautiful black and electric blue pattern.
Miza has 5 children and started working for ZBC in 2006. While she is happy to work for ZBC she says that it is not always easy. The caterpillars need a lot of care and it is easy for them to die meaning that all her hard work is wasted.
James joined the project in 2008 and has 6 children. He uses the money he earns from butterfly farming to feed his family. James is one of the more outspoken farmers and the staff enjoy his jokes, support and occasional complaints in the weekly farmer meetings.
With a large family of 7 children Mwanvua is very thankful for the extra money she earns farming butterflies. Although she is very busy looking after her family she has become one of the projects best farmers, bringing in many different species of pupae.
Mtumwa is another new farmer but she already makes good money with ZBC. She says this money is very important to her as she has many things to buy to keep her family healthy and happy. Mtumwa mostly farms the African Swallowtail because the female lays many eggs.
Butterfly farming is usually harder for women because they have so much other work to do. Despite having 5 children Khadija is one of the projects best farmers. She likes all butterflies but her favourite is the Flying Handkerchief because they lay a lot of eggs.
After education, Mwinyi returned to Pete in 2003. Like many other young people he found it difficult to find work. Mwinyi was glad to join ZBC as a butterfly farmer. Mwinyi volunteers at the local mosque and when you hear the afternoon call to prayer there’s a chance it’s him.
Not only is charcoal production damaging for the forest but it’s also very hard work. When the opportunity of butterfly farming came up Sancho was more than happy to stop making charcoal and start working with ZBC.
Figo has farmed for ZBC for 3 years and lives close by to the project. He is one of the better farmers at the project and brings a good diversity of pupae including the species that are harder to farm but are more profitable.
Subira’s family all work together to farm butterflies for ZBC. Subira was one of 5 female farmers who received a micro-loan from an American NGO. These mircroloans funded the netting and containers the farmers needed to farm butterflies.
As a new farmer Muslih is doing very well. He is already selling a good number and diversity of pupae to ZBC and staff are impressed by the health and size of his pupae. The ZBC staff look forward to working with Muslih and all the other new farmers in the future.
Although Jozani National Park is a great success for Zanzibar its creation meant that farmers like Safina had to stop growing crops within the new park’s boundaries. This sudden loss of livelihood meant that some people had to turn to charcoal production to make a living.
Juma is the younger brother of Kombo. At only 18 years old he showed great initiative by watching and learning his brother and starting to farm butterflies on his own. ZBC was happy to help Juma and supplied him with some of the equipment he needed.
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Zanzibar
- An Introduction to Zanzibar, the Spice Island
Situated in the Indian Ocean, 36 km off the coastline of mainland Tanzania lies Zanzibar. Zanzibar officially refers to the archipelago that include Unguja and Pemba, surrounded by about 50 smaller ones.
Covering an area of 1464 sq km, Zanzibar is a mainly low lying island, with it's highest point at 120 meters.
Once the trading centre of the whole of East Africa, Zanzibar attracted Sumerians, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Arabs, Chinese and Malays. The great explorers, Burton, Speke, Livingstone and Krapf continued their journeys from these shores.
It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, warm clear blue waters, idyllic islands, excellent reefs for snorkelling and diving, fantastic deep sea fishing and water sports activities.
The historic Stone Town with its narrow winding streets, vivid markets and colourful bazaars makes for an interesting cultural visit.
Commonly known as the "Spice Island"; famous for spices such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom, pepper and others). Spice tours are a popular excursion.Source: AfricaGuide
Click here for pictures of this beautiful island!
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Jozani - Chwaka Bay National Park
- Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park was established in 2004 and covers an area of 5,000ha. It is the first and only National Park in Zanzibar. The park vegetation is a mixture of ground water forest, ever green mixed forest, dry bush land, shrub land and mangroves.This habitat is home to many animals, the most famous being the Zanzibar red colobus (Piliocolobus kirkii). This primate is endemic to Zanzibar and listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List. There are approximately 1200-1500 individuals on the island with the largest groupings in and around the park.
On most days there are near guaranteed sightings very close to the park headquarters. Other primate species commonly sighted at the park include Skye’s monkey and at night time bushbabies (Galagos). 
The park is also very good for birding and there are there are many trails through the forest to follow and explore, including an elevated board walk through mangroves.
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Pupae Sales
- For those interested in purchasing pupae, please contact us on mail@zanzibarbutterflies.com for more details about species available, quantities and price.
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Location Map
- Pete, Tanzania
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Links
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Photos
