Bhutan Glory. Picture courtesy: Limthure Yimchunger, Fakim Eco Club

Jorhat, Oct. 5: A group of wildlife enthusiasts has sighted Bhutan Glory, a rare butterfly species, 17 times during an excursion to Nagaland’s Fakim wildlife sanctuary located in one of the remotest corners of the country bordering Myanmar.

The excursion was part of a Wildlife Week celebrated for the first time at the sanctuary in Kiphire district of Nagaland.

“The sanctuary could now boast of having the highest concentration of Bhutan Glory which is endemic in northeastern India and endangered in status. It is only in Eaglenest sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh that the particular butterfly species is found in such large numbers,” Kamdi Hemant Bhaskar, wildlife warden, Kiphire, told this correspondent over phone today.

He said no survey had been conducted at the sanctuary on butterflies earlier and it was only during a casual observation that 17 Bhutan Glory butterflies were noticed by the participants in the excursion which included villagers of nearby areas.

The forest official said apart from Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii), Jerdon’s Pit viper, another rare snake species, was also spotted and photographed by the participants who were led by Rusovil John, IFS, nodal officer, National Green Corps (Eco Club), Nagaland, and the chief guest of the function held during the three-day wildlife week celebrations.

Bhaskar said there was huge enthusiasm among the participants of the excursion, that included an 80-year-old village headman, and the group reached the sanctuary’s watchtower, which is located at an altitude of 2,917 metres.

“The participants not only enjoyed the ocean of virgin greenery and the rare species of birds but also spotted villagers in Myanmar through binoculars,” he said.

Bhaskar said Fakim sanctuary is a virgin forest and tourists hardly visit the sanctuary because of its remoteness. “There are lot more to see in these forests. Although officially the sanctuary area is small, there is endless forest which crosses the international border,” he said.

The 4.6 square km sanctuary is famous for hoolock gibbons, leopards, a few species of deer and jungle fowls apart from other animals.

In a meeting held at Fakim village on the occasion earlier, participants emphasised on changing scenario — from hunting to protection of wildlife and highlighted persuasion of elders by village youths for a total ban on hunting in not only the sanctuary but also in nearby forest areas.

John while lauding the efforts of wildlife division in carrying out awareness activities said more such activities should be held at Fakim which is an Indo-Myanmar frontier wildlife sanctuary.