Arunachal: 126 butterfly species recorded at Namdapha Butterfly Festival

Dibrugarh: The Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve (NNP & TR) Authority, in collaboration with partner organizations and local communities, organized a three-day Namdapha Butterfly Festival at Khachang Village.

The event aimed to promote environmental awareness and strengthen community participation in wildlife conservation across the region.

Participants and butterfly enthusiasts from several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Assam, attended the festival.

Representatives from local youth organizations such as the Khachang-Maithingpum Youth Forum, New Yumchum Youth Association, and Miao Singpho Ramma Hpung, along with institutions including the New Age Learning Centre, Kendriya Vidyalaya Miao, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (Forestry Department), Rajiv Gandhi University (Zoology Department), Mizoram University, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Nature Care Foster, Nature Mates, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), also participated.

Local SHGs (Self-Help Groups) and homestays hosted the visitors, highlighting community involvement in the festival.

The event was attended by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) N. Tam as the Chief Guest, Deputy Commissioner of Changlang District Vishal Sah as Guest of Honour, Special Guest Millo Tasser, and the Gaon Burahs of Kachang, New Yumchum, and Maithungpung Villages.

Their presence emphasized the importance of collaboration between authorities, institutions, and local communities for biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas.

The festival featured a cultural showcase by the Singpho, Longchang, and Tikhak communities, connecting local traditions with conservation awareness.

Participants engaged in interactive activities such as butterfly trail walks, nature-based games, stone painting, craft sessions, and presentations on butterfly ecology and conservation.

A special presentation on the White-bellied Heron highlighted its ecological significance, while talks on community-led conservation efforts, inspired by the Mishmi community’s protection of the Mishmi Takin, demonstrated the role of traditional ecological knowledge in wildlife protection.

These sessions were conducted by experts including Sarika Baidya (Nature Mate), Yumlam Benjamin Bida (ATREE), Gaurav P.J. (WII), and Aditya Das (Kamlang Tiger Reserve).

Despite the butterfly season nearing its end, participants documented 126 butterfly species, providing valuable insights into the diversity of Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve.

The festival concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of collaboration between conservation authorities, scientific institutions, and local communities.

It strengthened ecological understanding and community stewardship in one of India’s most ecologically significant landscapes.

The NNP & TR Authority expressed gratitude to all participants, collaborators, and the people of Khachang and neighbouring villages, noting that the success of the festival represents a significant step toward long-term, community-driven conservation efforts.