The Butterfly is the “Morpho helenor prometa” a subspecies of Morpho helenor, discovered and described in 2011 by Yubinca Gareca and Patrick Blandin in Tarija’s sub andean and southernmost part of the territory. This beautiful butterfly has greenish and purple details in an almost black backdrop and its size oscillates between 10 to 13 cm. The researchers decided to name it “PROMETA” not just as an appreciation of PROMETA’s support, but also as a recognition for its contribution to the conservation of Bolivia’s biological diversity. Therefore, the country and Tarija had the honor of making the discovery of a new subspecie and PROMETA placed its name within the scientific registry.
We should remember that PROMETA started more than 20 years ago with the conservation of the Tariquía and Sama Reserves. It drew new boundaries, researched, and supported the development of their communities and it provided them with a proper protection system. Towards the year 2002, once the State created its own institution of protected areas – the SERNAP – PROMETA turned in the administration of the areas, not just with the existing infrastructure, but also with the funds that guaranteed its functioning for several years. In the next term, the organization supported the creation of over 30 units of conservation all over the country (national, departmental and municipal in all departments) and it carried out significant work, like the counseling of the Departmental Service of Protected Areas in Santa Cruz, the most important of Bolivia.