The Nandankanan Zoological Park has now got its own Butterfly Park. Spread over 3,200 sq metre in the Botanical Garden, the park was inaugurated here on Thursday by Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray.
Among the largest in the country, the park is an open air garden where at least 54 species of butterflies have been recorded.
One could see species such as Danid Eggfly, a Schedule I butterfly, Striped Albatross which is a Schedule II insect apart from Banded Peacock, Crimson Rose, Blue Mormon, Commander, Wanderer and Grass Demon.
In 2009 when the Zoo had carried out an inventory on butterflies flocking the animal park, it had recorded 85 species which based the plan for the butterfly garden’s establishment. A booklet too was published on the butterflies then.
The zoo management has established the park close to the Rose Garden so as to draw more and more butterflies during the peak hours. To give cooling effect to the day-flying insects, a 170-ft water stream has been created. There is a mud-pool and two water-bodies including a Lily Pond in the Butterfly Garden.
“We have planted at least 6,100 plants of 56 species. Out of them, 22 are host species.
Since the butterflies collect nectar mostly from 8 am to 1 pm and fly away, supplementary feeding in terms of honey and sugar syrup as well as rotten apple and banana slices is being given to keep them attracted throughout the day,” Zoo Director Sudarshan Panda said adding, at least 30 species are expected in the garden round the year. The zoo had made a provision for `30 lakh from the society funds out of which `14 lakh has been spent so far.
Secretary, Forest and Environment RK Sharma, Deputy Director of the Zoo Manoj Nayyar and Assistant Director KL Purohit were also present during the inauguration.
