The Papikonda National Park (PNP) in East Godavari district is home to the three butterfly species that have made it to the final list of seven species vying for selection as India’s National Butterfly.
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The three species, which were recorded during the survey conducted in December 2019, are Common Jezebel, Orange Oakleaf and Common Nawab. The remaining four in the final list are Krishna Peacock, Fivebar Sword Tail, Northern Jungle Queen and Yellow Gorgon.
One among the seven will be declared as India’s National Butterfly by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in 2021, according to an official page of the National Butterfly of India – Citizen poll, which is being conducted under the aegis of the National Butterfly Campaign Consortium, which comprises nature lovers, butterfly experts, scientists and researchers from across the country.
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The online poll to nominate the national butterfly began on September 11, and it will be closed on October 8. Citizens can cast their vote by visiting the form at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVC9Mue8sFCEzOs8ku3XM41IFV9XaCB8-zAZV1de8mB0-3_g/viewform
“The presence of Orange Oakleaf (Kallima inachus) was recorded for the first time in the PNP during the maiden survey in December 2019. I photographed it in the Kintakuru - Kondamodalu area,” claims P. Balaji, one of the leading surveyors who took part in the 2019 survey led by C. Susantha Kumar and Abhiram Chandran (Warblers and Waders NGO, Kerala).
The survey done in the PNP recorded 129 species, which included 11 that were sighted for the first time in Andhra Pradesh.
“We will join the campaign and ask our staff and nature lovers to participate in the poll for the nomination of the national butterfly,” a Senior Forest Officer told The Hindu .