A rare native butterfly will again make Christchurch its home, for the first time in 200 years.
On Thursday, students at Burnside Primary will collect boulder copper butterflies from McLeans Island and bring them back into the city.
Numbers have rapidly declined and they are now found only sparingly in a few locations across Canterbury.
The species, endemic to New Zealand, will be moved to a school garden specially designed for the creatures to thrive.
Canterbury "bug man" Ruud Kleinpaste said the butterfly has not inhabited Christchurch for around 200 years.