The presence of a rare species, the King Crow Butterfly, was recorded for the first time in Uttarakhand, officials said Sunday.
They said this discovery was important because it is a fascinating new addition to the existing list of 450 species of butterflies found in the state.
The Department of Forestry’s research division has recorded its presence in the Budiagart region of Nainital, said Sanjeev Chaturvedi, chief forest guardian (research).
He said the finding is also important because it shows the most western records of rare butterfly species following the Uttar Pradesh Katrania Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
Its presence was previously recorded in the northeast, where both its subspecies (brown and blue) were found, and south, where the presence of the brown subspecies was recorded.