In order to further boost eco -tourism along with increasing awareness on the butterflies and other local fauna found in different parts of the State, the forest department is also imparting training on identification of butterflies and other local fauna in its nature guide training programmes.Recently, thirty-two participants attended a three-day nature and bird training course organised by Titli Trust, supported by the Mussoorie forest division and the Ecotourism Wing of the Forest Department with funding from the ONGC at Devalsari in Tehri district.
The course participants included 15 youth (including two women) from the villages of Bangseel, Butkot, Moldhar, Teva, Untaad and Thatyur along with local community participants from Dhanaulti Eco-Park, forest guards from the Mussoorie Forest Division and two nature guides from Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve. According to chief conservator of forests, Ecotourism, Rajiv Bhartari, the participants spotted 60 species of birds and 70 species of butterflies at the camp. Sixty butterfly species and over a thousand butterflies were seen during a three-hour walk by the participants.
Hundreds of Great Blackveins fluttered around thistle flowers. These butterflies appear only once in a year from mid-May to June and disappear once the rains set in. Other interesting butterflies sighted included Azure Sapphire, Siren, Common Copper, Painted lady, Marbled Flat, Grand Duchess and Common Peacock amongst many others.According to Bhartari, such training programme have also been held earlier at Pawalgarh and Pangot while the fourth event will be held from July 10 to 12 at Asan. “In these nature guide training programmes, the participants are taught bird watching, identification along with identification of butterflies and other important local fauna.
We do not hold just one training camp at a place but follow it up later with more training camps to ensure that various aspects are covered,” he added.It should be mentioned here that the rich flora and fauna of Uttarakhand also includes a wide range of butterflies. Earlier this year, the one spot grass yellow (Eurema andersoni) butterfly was sighted in the State at Almora after a gap of about 100 years. Rare butterflies like the Kashmir four-ring and Tajuria Yajna Yajna among others have also been reported from parts of the state.