The Tropical Butterfly Conservatory at Srirangam has added another attraction for visitors in the form of an amphitheatre.
The fully air-conditioned amphitheatre, constructed at a cost of around ₹40 lakh and hitherto open only to students and those attending orientation courses on butterflies, has been thrown open to the general public too.
The nearly 100-seating capacity theatre situated inside the 25-acre conservatory housing several species of butterflies will screen short films on the insects and its conservation, besides on nature and eco-awareness, say Forest Department officials.
Two shows a day
The Forest Department has fixed ₹ 20 as entrance fee for the general public to watch films inside the amphitheatre.There would be two shows – one around noon and the other around 5 p.m. — with a running time of around 45 minutes, said an official.
The conservatory is growing in popularity. Around 30,000 school and college students from various parts of the State visited the state-of-the-art amphitheatre in the last one year. The butterfly conservatory, which was thrown open to the public two years ago, has attracted over 5.6 lakh visitors till now, said the official.
The number of butterfly species recorded inside the lush green conservatory has also seen an upswing over a period of time.
At present, 97 species of butterfly has been recorded inside the conservatory, which was established with the objective of conserving the beautiful insects and to create awareness among public about the crucial role played by thems in maintaining ecological balance.
