Ranchi News: On Tuesday, Jharkhand introduced its inaugural open-air butterfly park, hailed by forest officials as the largest of its kind in the eastern region. The park, costing approximately Rs 2 crore and spanning nearly 20 acres, is situated within the Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, also known as Birsa Zoo, in Ormanjhi block, around 25km from Ranchi. L. Khiangte, the Additional Chief Secretary of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change in Jharkhand, inaugurated the park.
Open-air butterfly park is most extensive in the eastern region:
According to Jabbar Singh, the director of Birsa Zoo, this open-air butterfly park is the most extensive in the eastern region and is expected to become a prominent tourist attraction in the coming years. It houses an impressive collection of 80 butterfly species, with more than 50 species visible at any given time. The park is equipped with a conservatory, breeding areas, nurseries, a pond to maintain humidity and enhance aesthetics, gazebos, selfie spots, and pathways.
800-square-foot conservatory has been constructed:
To support the butterflies’ needs, host and nectar plants have been carefully planted, and an 800-square-foot conservatory has been constructed. Numerous nurseries have been established to facilitate butterfly breeding, including larvae and egg laying. The park showcases a variety of butterfly species found in Jharkhand, such as the twin coaster, sergeant, bush brown, baronet, plain tiger, lemon pansy, and common sailor.
This butterfly park serves both educational and entertainment purposes for butterfly enthusiasts. The first phase of development, costing an estimated Rs 2 crore, is almost complete. The project was carried out in two phases, with the second phase taking two years to finish. Visitors will have access to informative display boards to identify different butterfly breeds and learn intriguing facts about them.
Butterflies are naturally drawn to suitable habitats:
Jabbar Singh, the zoo official, emphasized that butterflies are naturally drawn to suitable habitats with colorful plants, and the park plans to arrange student excursions and promote it as a tourist attraction. Furthermore, they aim to raise awareness about the vital role butterflies play in ecology and the urgency of preserving biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems.
The project’s initiation dates back to 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The annual maintenance cost for the butterfly garden is estimated at Rs 25 lakh. Additionally, East India’s largest aquarium has already been established adjacent to the park. Notably, Birsa Zoo, spanning 104 hectares in Ranchi’s Ormanjhi area, houses approximately 1,450 animals from 83 species of mammals, reptiles, and birds.
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