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