JODHPUR, July 8 -- The Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, famous for its tigers, is also home to a beautiful and diverse world of butterflies, a new study revealed. In the areas near Zone 7 of the reserve, researchers have found 68 species of butterflies fluttering through the landscape. "This colourful butterfly community shows how rich and healthy the environment is around Ranthambore," said Dr Mousumi Das, assistant professor in zoology at Vidyasagar College, Kolkata, who led the study. "Such diversity not only enhances the ecological value of the reserve but also acts as a barometer for environmental health." Along with her team members, comprising Dr Md Golam Ambiya, Dr Arnab Basu, and Avishikta Ghosh, Das conducted the survey in November 2024, documenting butterflies over a 10-day period using the line transect method along a 5.6 km route from Hammir Circle to the Zone 7 gate. The most commonly spotted butterflies included the Plain Tiger, Pale Grass Blue, Blue Tiger, and Psyche. The study found that family Nymphalidae was the most dominant, accounting for over 44% of all sightings. The survey also revealed that 11 butterfly species are protected under various Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Das said: "The current study recorded the prevalence of a diverse butterfly community in the adjoining areas of Ranthambore National Park (Zone 7), Sawai Madhopur. The fertile eastern plains have thus provided a suitable habitat for the dwelling of a large number of butterflies. The rich diversity of the butterfly community observed at the study site gives us an insight of the bountiful forests which has permitted the aggregation of the butterfly community. Therefore, data recorded from this preliminary study will prove to be beneficial for the upcoming systematic survey-based studies and will provide an opportunity to estimate the overall butterfly diversity and abundance in Ranthambore National Park which could be useful in adopting conservation policies for the forest as well as for the butterfly fauna dwelling in that Tiger Reserve."...