Mangaluru: Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park Belvai, officially inaugurated in 2013 by Isaac Kehimkar, the then Deputy-Director of Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, has successfully completed its second year of operations.
Celebrating their second anniversary, the park will be organizing a free two-day awareness program for nature lovers at Santhadi House, Butterfly Park Road, Belvai on August 15th and 16. Program highlights include, a talk on butterflies and their conservation importance by Sammilan Shetty, followed by video presentation showcasing some interesting facts about butterflies
The park has added 18 new species to its checklist in the span of 2 years thus making the total count of butterfly species in the park to 131, out of approximately 339 species found in Western Ghats.
The park has been successful in providing a protected habitat for butterflies of Western Ghats and to undertake scientific study and research on butterflies. It has also inspired fellow nature enthusiasts to create their own butterfly garden and be a part of this conservation drive.
Registration for participants begins at 8.30 am at the park, and will be closed at 9.00 am on both days.
A walk in the butterfly park along with volunteers who will assist to spot and identify butterflies in the field will be included in the programme. Tips for photographing butterflies will also be shared. It will conclude at 11am on both days.
The awareness program is an attempt to spread the message of conservation of butterflies, often referred to as winged beauties.