Kaziranga National Park Recognized for Butterfly Diversity

October 18, 2024

Kaziranga National Park, famous for its one-horned rhinoceros, has recently been recognized as India’s second-largest hub for butterfly diversity, with an impressive 446 butterfly species. This ranking comes just behind Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh.

Discoveries and Research

Research conducted by Dr. Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi, who has studied the park since 2007, highlights the park’s rich variety of wildlife. In September, the first-ever ‘Butterfly Conservation Meet-2024’ was held to discuss the different butterfly species found in Kaziranga. Around 40 butterfly lovers and experts attended this event, showing a strong commitment to butterfly conservation.

Diverse Species

Kaziranga’s butterfly diversity is remarkable, especially since it is located outside the usually species-rich Himalayan and Patkai mountain ranges. Some of the notable butterfly species observed in the park include Burmese Threering, Glassy Cerulean, Dark-bordered Hedge Blue, Ferrar’s Cerulean, Great Red-vein Lancer, Peacock Oakblue, Yellow-tailed Awlking, Dark-dusted Palm Dart, Clavate Banded Demon, Pale-marked Ace Yellow and Onyx Long-winged Hedge Blue.

Interestingly, researchers identified 18 butterfly species that had never been reported in India before during these studies.

Additional Habitats

In addition to Kaziranga National Park, the nearby Panbari Reserve Forest also provides a home for various butterfly species, further enhancing the ecological richness of the area.

Conservation Efforts

Dr. Gogoi has created a pictorial guidebook that documents all 446 butterfly species found in the park. At the recent conservation meet, Gaurab Nandi Das from the Czech Republic shared valuable insights on butterfly classification. This emphasizes the importance of ongoing conservation efforts in Kaziranga.

Geographical Location

Kaziranga National Park is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam, India. It became a national park in 1974 and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is internationally important because it is home to two-thirds of the world’s greater one-horned rhinoceroses and represents the largest undisturbed area of the Brahmaputra Valley floodplains.

Vegetation

The park features a mix of eastern wet alluvial grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, and tropical moist deciduous forests. This variety of habitats contributes to its biodiversity and ecological importance.

About Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in India, is well-known for its large population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses, which make up about two-thirds of the total population worldwide. Established in 1905, the park covers an area of 430 square kilometers and features diverse ecosystems, including grasslands and wetlands. It is home to over 480 bird species, making it a popular spot for birdwatching. The park also has significant populations of tigers and elephants. Kaziranga’s unique floodplain ecology supports its rich biodiversity, and its conservation efforts play a vital role in wildlife preservation in India.

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