Visitors at the Butterfly Park at Tata Steel Zoological Park. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, Feb. 21: Much on the lines of the butterfly parks down south, a separate enclosure for the colourful creatures was inaugurated today at Tata Steel Zoological Park.

Inaugurated by Sanjiv Paul, the managing director of Jamshedpur Utilities Services Company, the Butterfly Park is a gift of the Tata Steel Zoological Park authorities to the citizens of Jamshedpur in the centenary year of Tata Steel.

There are around 135 butterflies of five species in the 3,500sqft park. Located close to Machan area on the zoo premises, the park has been divided into two separate sections.

If one room has been earmarked to breed species under controlled temperatures, another houses the main display section open for public viewing. “We have got close to 21 species of butterflies in and around the city. Of these, five species have been identified for proper breeding at the laboratory,” said M.S. Jain, the director of Tata Steel Zoological Park.

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 6.5 lakh, the zoo authorities have spent close to seven months in pursuit of the species to be housed at the park. Given the shape of an arch, the huge enclosure is well covered by an agro net. The park is built with an objective to preserve rare varieties of butterflies and increase their numbers.

The specially designed park has a presence of close to 13 varieties in the display section. The varieties available at the laboratory are the Common Mormon, Common Crow, Plain Tiger, Lemon and Castor breeds.

Surviving on a life cycle of 45 days, a lot of larvae are currently being bred in the laboratory section. Inside the laboratory are a host of plants with all the specific requirements to help the butterflies multiply fast.

“Food has been separately arranged for all the species as each one of them survive on a different plant,” said Jain.

There are some bright plastic flowers on which a cotton dipped in honey is kept at the centre which adds to the show and provides sustenance for the butterflies.

Work on the park had begun way back last September with tribal artists from nearby villages being engaged to paint butterflies in bright colours on the walls of the enclosure.