[ Prem Chetry ]
BOMDILA, 7 Sep: Students and teachers participated in the first-ever Big Butterfly Month (BBM) celebration, organized by the Bomdila Forest Division, in collaboration with Kolkata (WB)-based NGO Nature Mates.
The event, which included awareness programmes and workshops, was held at the Buddha Peace Park here in West Kameng district on Sunday.
Assistant Commissioner Dr Dechin Droka lauded the initiative for raising awareness among students and teachers. She said, “Butterflies are among the most delicate creatures – much like our environment today. We must take responsibility for protecting these beautiful beings.” She urged the students to become responsible citizens and contribute to nature conservation in every possible way.
DFO Obang Tayeng encouraged the students to be guardians of the future, stating, “We do not inherit nature from our ancestors; we must be cautious about our fragile environment and ensure it remains intact for future generations.”
He added, “The eastern Himalayas are endowed with immense biodiversity, much of which is yet to be explored. We should take pride in what we have.”
Tayeng also highlighted the role of butterflies in the ecosystem, emphasizing that their presence is as vital as any other creature’s. “The existence of butterflies is an indicator of a healthy ecosystem,” he noted.
Researchers Sarika Baidya and Ritam Dey from Nature Mates delivered a presentation and screened short films to explain the significant roles butterflies play in the ecosystem, including their diversity, identification patterns, habitats, and lifecycles. They urged the students to actively conserve butterfly habitats, as well as host and nectar plants.
One hundred students from Modern School, Nechiphu Children’s Foundation, and Government Higher Secondary School participated in the programme.
Since its inception in 2020, the BBM is celebrated annually from 1-30 September. During this period, various groups, researchers, and butterfly enthusiasts across the country organize butterfly walks and awareness programmes. They contribute by uploading pictures of butterflies collected during these walks to platforms like iNaturalist and the India Biodiversity Portal, aiding researchers in exploring more about butterfly species.
