Butterfly Bliss: Uttarakhand Forest Dept. Unveils First Gallery at Jolly Grant

Uttarakhand Forest Department launches its inaugural Butterfly gallery in Dehradun, highlighting the state's vibrant butterfly diversity. The gallery features high-resolution images, educational information, and poems, aiming to elevate public awareness and inspire conservation of these ecologically vital species.

The Uttarakhand Forest Department has inaugurated the state's first Butterfly gallery, situated at Jolly Grant's Nature Education Centre in Dehradun. This new attraction captivates visitors with high-resolution images of the region's diverse butterfly species, offering a vibrant spectacle.

The gallery serves a dual purpose of education and awareness, focusing on the crucial ecological roles that butterflies play in pollination and ecosystems. Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Chief Conservator of Forests (Research), emphasized the initiative's goal to spotlight Uttarakhand's rich butterfly diversity and foster a deeper appreciation for these ecologically significant insects. Through education, the gallery seeks to encourage conservation efforts and raise awareness about butterfly protection.

With Uttarakhand hosting approximately 500 butterfly species, the gallery highlights 105 species from five diverse families, including Papilionidae, Hesperidae, Lycanidae, Nymphalidae, and Pieridae. Noteworthy species on display include the Common Peacock, Indian Oakleaf, and Common Rose, each with unique ecological attributes.

An educational feature of the gallery includes information on vital host plants like the Astor tree, crucial for butterflies' life cycles. Additionally, preserved specimens allow visitors to examine detailed wing patterns and the structural nuances of these creatures, enhancing their understanding of butterfly biology.

The gallery also educates the public about butterflies' mud-puddling behavior and life cycles, from egg to adult. A remarkable highlight is the depiction of the Monarch Butterfly Migration, detailing one of the longest migration journeys in the butterfly world.

Adding a literary touch, the gallery includes poems by Rabindranath Tagore and Robert Frost, further enriching visitors' experience and appreciation for these elegant insects. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)