Hundreds of endangered butterflies released in NH

CONCORD, N.H.—New Hampshire's official state butterfly is enjoying a big comeback.

This week, state Fish and Game biologists are releasing a record number of Karner blue butterflies into the wild in Concord in a restoration program. Karner blues are endangered in New Hampshire and throughout the country. They were once gone from the state, but in the last decade, hundreds have been raised in captivity and released in an area called the Concord Pine Barrens, near Concord Airport.

Fish and Game already has released more than 1,600 Karner blues this year. That's a record, and the number will grow with more releases scheduled.

Another 1,000 developing Karner blues were taken to the Albany, N.Y., area as part of an exchange program for another recovery project, then released to the wild.