The butterflies considered more beautiful by the public receive disproportionate attention in areas such as scientific research, conservation, and legal protection, while less attractive species may face higher extinction risks, as revealed by an international study published in a scientific journal.
The research was based on a survey conducted with more than 21,000 people from various parts of the world, who evaluated the beauty of different butterfly species from images available on the internet. Based on the responses, the researchers created a Species Beauty Index, which they then compared with data on scientific research, conservation measures, and public attention.
The results show a clear relationship between the appearance of butterflies and the attention they receive. The species considered more beautiful have a greater likelihood of appearing in initiatives and instruments that guide funding and conservation decisions, regardless of their true threat status.
Meanwhile, the species considered less attractive tend to receive less attention, even when they present significant conservation risks.
The work thus warns about the impact that aesthetic preferences can have on how resources destined for biodiversity protection are distributed. The concentration of efforts on visually more attractive species can leave others, less popular with the public, with a lower capacity to mobilize research, funding, and protection measures.
The researchers argue that conservation strategies should take ecological criteria and extinction risk into account, avoiding that the human perception of beauty determine which species receive greater protection.
The conclusion is particularly relevant in a context of biodiversity loss, where resources available for conservation are limited and it is necessary to set priorities based on the actual needs of species and ecosystems, and not only on their visual appeal.
