Wildlife enthusiasts and environmental activists in Rajasthan have joined hands for a campaign for conservation of butterflies with a national appeal for care of the host plants to invite the insects with brightly coloured wings at home. The significance of butterflies in the pollination process was highlighted at an event held here earlier this week.

Rajasthan gave 1,328th species to the country’s list of butterflies last year with the discovery of Spialia zebra in Dungarpur district. The species flies at a high speed and is only 2.5 cm wide. It has been seen for the first time in India.

The appeal for the conservation of butterflies to sustain human life better was magnified through a banner, which laid emphasis on care for the host plants. The event, followed by a “butterfly walk”, marked the 24th Indian Birding Fair held this year in parts because of the pandemic.

Tourism & Wildlife Society of India (TWSI) honorary secretary Harsh Vardhan said though butterflies were safeguarded under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, very little steps had been taken for their conservation. “Despite the presence of over 1,300 species in India, there is neither any book to outline all of them nor any centralised agency to identify new species,” he said.

Concrete action plan

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Shruti Sharma, who led the event, said a concrete action plan would be taken up for the protection of butterflies. A slide presentation highlighted the efforts of some experts trying to get a greater degree of protection for the insects under the law.

Activist Naveen Singh pointed out that the social groups and corporate houses were not showing interest in setting up butterfly parks because of lack of consent by the Central Zoo Authority. A query about the funds allotted by the Jaipur Development Authority for establishing a park in the city was also raised.

A checklist of plants was circulated to the participants with the information on the host plants needed by butterflies in their very short span of life. The representatives of schools said they would enrol the students to lend their strength to the beautiful flyers like what was done for house sparrows a few years ago.