Behali butterfly walk documents 85 species, raises awareness on conservation

Biswanath Chariali, Sept 16: Behali Wildlife Sanctuary, a natural treasure trove of endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna, hosted a special 'butterfly walk' on September 14. The event was jointly organized by Loren Sonow-al, chairman of the Nature Conservation Society, Assam Tourism, and Madhab Das, Tourism Development Officer of the Assam Forest Department in collaboration with WikiLoves Butterfly, Big Butterfly Month, Wild Feathers, Wildheart Foundation, NE Narrative, Natures Bonyopran, Bihongo Bondhu, and the DBT-NER Advanced Level Institutional Biotech Hub, Chaiduar College (Autonomous).

The programme was aimed at raising awareness among students, youth, and local communities about the importance of butterflies - the 'living jewels' of the forest ecosystem. During the walk, participants documented 85 butterfly species, including several significant and rare ones such as wizard, painted courtesan, and common acacia blue.

Distinguished personalities who at-tended the occasion included Chandan Rajkhowa, Ranger of Behali Wildlife Sanctuary, Jugal Borah, Dr Ranjit Kakati, Aziz Hussain, Niku Das, along with Parixit Kaflee, Gokul Mahanta, and Pranoy Mahanta.

The walk also saw enthusiastic participation from the faculty, researchers, and students of several institutions including NEHU, Gauhati University, Cot-ton University, Rajiv Gandhi Universi-ty, Kaliabor College, THB College, Biswanath College, PDUAM College, Behali College, and Chaiduar College. Local nature enthusiasts from Behali and Borgang also joined the initiative, making it a vibrant community event.

Participants expressed their delight at exploring the forest while learning about butterfly diversity and conservation. The organizers emphasized that such initiatives not only contribute to biodiversity documentation but also inspire younger generations to connect with nature and work towards protecting it.

Correspondent