Butterfly NortheastAn Informal Network for the Study and Conservation of Butterflies in Northeastern India
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Butterfly Northeast is a network of lepidopterists and butterfly enthusiasts that seeks to further conservation-oriented research on the butterflies of northeastern India. We seek to collate and disseminate information on butterfly ecology, distribution and determine threats to the persistence of butterflies in the region. We also collaborate with various institutions and policy-makers in order to enhance butterfly conservation in the region.
Northeast India is a global biodiversity hotspot and has a very high diversity of butterflies. Over 900 of the 1500 species of butterflies found in India have so far been reported from the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura. There are several species that are endemic to the region, and these include the Cachar Mandarin Blue Charana cepheis, Peal's Palmfly Elymnias pealii, Pallid Forester Lethe satyavati and Plain Bushbrown Mycalesis malsarida.
Northeast India is also one of the most poorly studied regions in the whole of South Asia. Little is known about the abundance, status and distributions of butterflies in the region. With recent large-scale destruction of habitat in the region, several species might be at risk from extinction. There is hence a need for proactive research that can inform conservation decision-making.
Butterfly Northeast seeks to use butterflies as flagships for invertebrate research and conservation in the region. |
