Asia's first butterfly safari park will be inaugurated at Thenmala by Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on February 22. The park is an artificially created 3.5-hectare expanse that simulates a natural habitat for various species of butterflies. The park is already teeming with the winged beauties.The park, designed by the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), has been set up by the Thenmala Eco-Tourism Promotion Society at a cost of Rs.25 lakh. The fund has been allocated by the Tourism Department. KFRI scientist George Mathew, who is the prime architect of the park, says 125 different species of butterflies have been sighted in the park and its periphery. Even the rare and endemic 'Autumn leaf butterfly' has been sighted there. The park has a wide variety of plants suited to various species of butterflies. Shrubs and trees have been chosen to form suitable micro-habitats, with plants and trees that facilitate butterflies to feed and breed, Dr. Mathew says. It has roosting plants, nectar providing plants, host plants that provide the right leafy meal to caterpillar species and plants with leaves which butterflies depend on for their alkaloid requirements. The park has been planted with such shrubs and trees. The trees are mainly for canopy butterflies. Water sprinklers and artificial ponds and puddles have been created to provide the humidity necessary for breeding of butterflies. The water bodies will also facilitate mud-puddling, a phenomenon through which butterflies obtain their requirement of salt and amino acids from wet soil and mud.
Visitors to the park will get an insight into the lifecycle of various species of butterflies. Dr. Mathew says that through the park, a campaign would be undertaken to create mini-butterfly parks at every house. Such parks would make a big contribution towards butterfly conservation, he says
The Hindu, February 18, 2008
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