Diversity of Butterflies in Guindy National Park-Butterfly Garden in Guindy Children’s Park

Diversity of Butterflies in Guindy National Park-Butterfly Garden in Guindy Children’s Park

RAJIV A M - Research Assistant Guindy National Park 2022- Bharathiar Univerisity

Baskar.N - Senior Biologist Guindy national Park 2022.

Introduction:

Guindy National Park is the only protected forest oasis holding good tropical dry evergreen forest vegetation sheltering many wild Fauna, and flora amidst the city. The literature survey provides a limited information analysis earlier before, on various aspects of Ecology & Conservation Management, Habitat analysis & assessment, distribution of Vegetation, diversity of fauna like Black buck, spotted deer, Birds, Jackal including lower vertebrates & Butterflies.

Butterflies are the sensitive insects which react quickly to any kind of disturbances like changes in the habitat quality and environmental variation. Apart from pollinators they play a major key role in food chain, being prey for birds, reptiles, spiders and predatory insects. Many species of butterflies are strictly seasonal in their occurrence and prefer a particular set of habitats and host plants for their survival. Notably these biological indicators are slowly disappearing due to changes in land pattern and habitat as they are closely dependent on plants.

The Indian sub-continent has about 1439 species of butterflies, out of which 100 species are endemic to it and 26 taxa are today globally threatened as per the IUCN 1990 Red List of threatened animals and insects. In the past few decades, the Chennai city has developed in an unstoppable manner and many green cover areas were converted into buildings. As a Result, the native forest cover is disappearing gradually. The record of research in the city national park did not have a continuation. in this contrary, it has become imperative to evolve
the conservation and management of local extinction. The objective of the present study was to investigate the distribution and diversity of butterflies through different habitats, specifically, dry evergreen scrub, thorn forest, grasslands with tropical dissymmetric climate.

Guindy Children’s Park is well known place with congenial environment to attract large number of live forms. The wooded environs are playing a major role to regulate the heat wave comparatively less than other area in the city. The mini zoo is upgraded as medium zoo during the year 2019. This park has many attractions to its credit viz., Vedanthangal aviary, Antelope, Antlers, Serpentarium and Ratite family collections. In Addition that wildlife awareness centre, Terrarium and medicinal garden are acting as public attractive points.  The ex-situ and in-situ conservation centre has record of 114 species of butterflies in around the area the renovated butterfly park has a diversity of 30 species in the unique environment. The existing 40 species of vegetation has a number of host and nectar plant species in the collection, which act as a preferable abode for such winged friends. (D Evangeline and Santhi-2017)

                        The biological indicators are the most fascinating creatures in the universe, which have realized the naturalists for centuries. There are approximately 20000 species of butterflies distributed throughout the world. Indian subcontinent has diversified eco-systems which has rich diversity of butterfly about 1500 species, the diversity is more in the Western Ghats.

                        Tamil Nadu is concern so far 319 species of butterflies are recorded which include rare and endemic species. The sensitive species being highly diversified in their habits which require specific congenial atmosphere conditions for their survival. The literature reveals that it is presumed they came into existence some 130 million years ago during the Cretaceous period along with flowering plants. Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera and class Insect. The order Lepidoptera is further divided into Rhopalocera (butterflies) and Heterocera (moths).

The modern zoos are taken great interest to include the butterfly parks in the master plan to create awareness among the public. The major zoos in India are inspired and serve for the conservation of the nature. The butterflies are important pollinators of several wild and agricultural plants and depletion of their population could adversely affect the regeneration of the plants. Considering role of butterflies in maintaining nature’s ecological balance, a butterfly park has been allotted in Guindy Children’s Park, Chennai.