Published on: January 17, 2023
White Tufted Royal Butterfly
White Tufted Royal Butterfly
Why in news? A team of butterfly observers and researchers have found White Tufted Royal Butterfly, a rare butterfly species at Kalliyad in Kannur
Highlights
- This butterfly is rare and protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
- The species had been spotted in Agasthyakoodam and the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Presence of this butterfly indicated the rich fauna and flora of Kalliyad
- The wingspan of the butterfly is just 32-40 mm.
Why butterfly conservation is important?
- Butterflies support a range of other predators as well as parasites.
- They have been widely used by ecologists as model organisms to study the impact of the loss of habitat and climate change.
- They are central pollinators to many agricultural crops and are bio-indicators of an ecosystem
- Their ecological function is also a food source to predators like birds, spiders, lizards and other animals.
- Once declared as a state butterfly, it will help channelizing government funds towards conservation .
About Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It is a protected area in the Western Ghats, under the control of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve
- Location : Kollam district of Kerala
- Flora: Chengurinji, a tree endemic to the region
- Fauna: Presence of lion-tailed macaque, a highly endangered species.
- Vegetation : Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest
- First eco-tourism project in India, Thenmala Eco-tourism Project has been formulated in and around Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Note : Shendurnani Sanctuary doesn’t have sandalwood trees