Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Species
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Altogether 165 butterfly species, including 37 endangered ones, have been recorded in Assam’s Dehing Patkai National Park, highlighting the rich biodiversity of the rainforest.
- Dehing Patkai is a lowland rainforest located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam.
- Spanning 234.26 sq km, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 2004 and upgraded to a national park in 2020.
- The National Park harbours the largest stretch of lowland rainforests in India.
- Distribution – It is one of the last remaining stretches of Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests, clinging to the foothills that border Arunachal Pradesh.
- It forms the core of the larger 937 sq km Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, a landscape where history and ecology intertwine.
- Nearby lie the World War II cemeteries, the legendary Stilwell Road, Asia's oldest refinery at Digboi, and an open-cast coal mine at Lido.
- Flora & Fauna – It is home to the Chinese pangolin, flying fox, slow loris, stump-tailed and Assamese macaques, capped langur, hoolock gibbon, Himalayan black bear, hog-badger, jungle cat, leopard cat, clouded leopard, tiger, sambar, barking deer, gaur and Malayan giant squirrel.
- Countless bird species and reptiles share this world & emerging as a thriving haven for butterfly diversity.
- Significance – The presence of such a diverse butterfly population reflects the importance of protecting healthy and connected natural habitats.
- More than just a national park, Dehing Patkai is a thriving ecosystem where forests, wildlife and countless smaller species coexist.
References
- Times of India | Dehing Patkai’s jungle - 165 butterfly species
- Govt of Assam | Dehing Patkai National Park
