Rothschild's birdwing  (Ornithoptera rothschildi)

Rothschild's birdwing has a very restricted distribution (6), making it very vulnerable to any threats that may arise. In the past, there was a considerable trade in this species, but this diminished in the early 1980s. Today, no particular threats to its habitats have been identified, but a dense human population and the cutting of wood in the forests is a general threat to the region in which this butterfly occurs (6). However, this high altitude species is offered some natural protection through the remoteness of its habitat (5).

There is no targeted conservation action for this species and as long as the human population continues to grow in Indonesia, habitat loss will continue. Rothschild's birdwing is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which serves to regulate the trade in the species or any of its parts by requiring export licences and producing quotas (2).