KOZHIKODE
: The four-day
butterfly survey
conducted by the forest department in
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
(WWS) has revealed significant
butterfly
diversity. The survey team recorded as many as 191 species of winged beauties. The survey has also recorded first sightings of six species in WWS, including three rare butterfly varieties.
The survey, for the first time, spotted the varieties Catochrysops panormus (silver forget-me-not), Ypthima asterope (common three-ring) and Horaga viola (brown onyx) in the WWS. All the three species have been spotted very rarely in the state. Silver forget-me-not is being spotted outside
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
in Kerala for the first time. Also, it is only the third sighting of the brown onyx in the state.
The survey was held by dividing the 344sqkm sanctuary into 18 blocks.
Interestingly, this year’s butterfly survey had taken place during the annual butterfly migration in south India from the plains to the Western Ghats areas. The survey found butterfly migration in all the 18 camps where the survey was conducted.
As many as 70 butterfly enthusiasts had participated in the survey, which was held in association with Ferns Nature Conservation Society. Researchers from
Kerala Forest Research Institute
(KFRI), KUFOS, SACON and with the help of Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS), SEEK, Payazhannur and students of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) participated in the survey.
The proliferation of invasive plant species Senna spectabilis is one of the factor posing concern to butterfly diversity in the sanctuary as species diversity was found to be low in areas dominated by the invasive species.
WWS warden P K Asif said that the sighting on 191 butterfly species pointed to the healthy population and prevalence of a vibrant ecosystem in the sanctuary.
“Of the 227 butterfly species so far recorded in the sanctuary, it is significant that the survey could spot 191 species in this year’s survey. If it were for the continuing rains, we could have spotted more species,” he added.
Assistant conservator of forests Ajith K Raman said that as butterflies were an indicator species, the survey also doubles up as a study on the climate changes and ecology as well.
Butterfly expert Balakrishnan Valappil said that though the sanctuary provided a healthy ecosystem for butterflies, the proliferation of Senna spectabilis was a cause for concern as the domination of the plant would mean stifling of many host plants of butterflies.
Experts, including Chandrasekharan M V , C Sushanth and V C Balakrishnan, led the survey teams. Assistant wildlife warden Remya Raghavan, biologist Vishnu Omanakuttan, Ferns Nature Conservation Society members P A Vinayan, Sujin N S, Muneer P K coordinated the survey.
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