Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary

On June 18, the Kerala State Wildlife Board officially renamed the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kannur as the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, making it India’s first protected forest dedicated entirely to butterflies.

A Milestone in Conservation

This historic decision comes after 25 years of dedicated efforts, involving meticulous surveys, local wildlife enthusiasts, forest officials, and biodiversity experts, who firmly believed that even the smallest creatures deserve a secure habitat.

Rich Biodiversity of Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary

• The sanctuary spans 55 square kilometers of tropical and semi-evergreen forests.
• It is home to over 266 species of butterflies, which represents more than 80% of Kerala’s butterfly species.
• Many of these species are endemic and some are endangered, highlighting the sanctuary’s critical role in butterfly conservation.

Significance of Butterfly Migrations

• The sanctuary serves as a vital habitat for the annual mass migration of the Common Albatross butterflies.
• Additionally, the migration of mixed Danaine species has been recorded, underlining its importance in butterfly migratory patterns.

Kerala’s Other Unique Sanctuaries

• Kerala already has other species-specific sanctuaries such as:
  • Choolannur Pea Fowl Sanctuary in Palakkad, dedicated to Peafowls.
  • Kurinjimala Sanctuary, dedicated to the conservation of Neelakurinji (the flower that blooms once every 12 years).
• It also has two important bird sanctuaries:
  • Thettekad Bird Sanctuary
  • Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary

(Source: TH)