RAMALING, 29 Jul: Kolkata (WB)-based Nature Mates and the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (EWS) jointly celebrated the World Nature Conservation Day for the first time here in West Kameng district on Monday.
Local community members and staffers of the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve and the Forest Department joined a field training at the EWS. Indi Glow, conservationist and prominent figure of the local Bugun tribe, said, “Eaglenest has a wide variety of butterflies. We need to step up to protect the butterflies and their habitat.”
Sarika Baidya from Nature Mates showed the participants host and nectar plants for Ludlow’s Bhutan glory inside the forest. This endangered butterfly is restricted to the EWS.
RFO Yachang Kani noted the importance of the day.”Events like this are important to promote conservation. The continuous efforts of Baidya areinspiring the local people to appreciate the beauty and importance of this forest,” Kani said.
The programme concluded with a presentation and discussion with the participants at the Nature Interpretation Centre, Ramaling. Baidya and her team showed the diversity of plants and butterflies of the Eaglenest to the participants.
“There is a gap of knowledge about the importance of butterflies and their diversity among the local people. Today’s workshop is aimed to reduce that gap and generate awareness. WTI-RAP renews our hope to continue our conservation efforts. We wish that others would also come forward to support the effort to generate awareness for butterfly conservation at the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary,” she said.
Baidya and her team are currently working for the conservation of Ludlow’s Bhutan glory in the EWS.