Kaziranga Named India’s Second Largest Butterfly Diversity Hub
Kaziranga National Park, renowned for its iconic one-horned rhinoceros, has now gained recognition as India’s second-largest butterfly diversity hub. Following Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, Kaziranga is home to an impressive 446 butterfly species. This newfound distinction highlights the park’s rich biodiversity.
New Species Discovery
The study revealed 18 new species of butterflies recorded in Kaziranga that were previously unreported in India. Some notable species include,
- Burmese Threering
- Glassy Cerulean
- Dark-bordered Hedge Blue
- Andaman Yellow Banded Flat
- Ferrar’s Cerulean
- Great Red-vein Lancer
- Peacock Oakblue
- Singled-lined Flash
- Yellow-tailed Awlking
- White Palm Bob
- Dark-dusted Palm Dart
- Clavate Banded Demon
- Pale-marked Ace
- Yellow Onyx
- Long-winged Hedge Blue
Panbari Reserve Forest
- Apart from the national park, the Panbari Reserve Forest in Kaziranga is also home to a wide variety of butterfly species, further contributing to the region’s ecological richness.
- Dr. Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi has authored a new pictorial guidebook that documents the 446 species of butterflies found in Kaziranga.
Importance of Butterfly Conservation
- Gaurab Nandi Das, a representative from the Czech Republic, presented insights on butterfly taxonomy at the meet, emphasizing the importance of butterfly conservation efforts in Kaziranga.