Pupae put on museum's credit card

The Otago Museum's single credit card was recently used to buy more butterfly pupae from Costa Rica, after usual supplies from the Philippines for the museum's Tropical Forest attraction were interrupted by a heatwave.

In the financial year ending June 30, spending via the credit card amounted to about $56,000.

About $24,000 of that was for butterfly pupae from Costa Rica, museum officials said.

After the heatwave hit the Philippines between February and May, more butterflies had to be sourced from Costa Rica to ensure security of supply, as well as to maintain a variety of butterfly species.

The forest is home to about 1000 brightly-coloured tropical butterflies.

Card-related spending had risen somewhat from about $20,000 in 2006-2007, officials said.

Museum exhibitions, development and planning director Clare Wilson said the museum had only one credit card, which was rigorously controlled and required several signatures before it could be used.

The card was used only when there was no practical alternative, and to enable the museum to gain cost-effective deals by buying through the internet.

Recently released figures show the forest remains popular and financially sound, despite a predicted big drop in attendance after the initial boom year in which more than 160,000 people attended.

About 70,000 people attended the museum's Discovery World science centre, which includes the forest facility, in the financial year ending on June 30.

In April, the Otago Museum Trust Board reviewed financial and attendance figures and agreed the forest should continue to operate next year, after an initial trial period starting in 2007.

Draft figures recently tabled at the board's latest meeting show admissions income amounted to $445,402, which was $104,598 less than budgeted.

But spending was also below budget, including for supply of butterfly pupae, which was nearly $12,000 below the $80,000 budget.

Ms Wilson said the forest remained popular, and careful cost-management had contributed to the sound finances.

 

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