Butterfly Meet Documents Over 185 Species in Manas Landscape

KOKRAJHAR, October 28, 2026 — The ninth North East Butterfly Meet and International Research Conference on Butterfly Research and Conservation concluded on Saturday at Kokilabari in Assam’s Manas National Park landscape, with participants documenting more than 185 butterfly species during the three-day event.

The meet, held from October 23 to 25, brought together around 100 delegates, including international participants from the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Bhutan, Tanzania, Sudan, Ghana and Namibia, alongside researchers, naturalists and conservationists from across India.

According to Sonali Ghosh, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the species documentation included notable records for the Bodoland region. Rare sightings included the Witch (Araotes lapithis) and the elusive Prince (Rohana tonkiniana). The Assam Cornelian (Virachola dohertyi) was also recorded by Gaurab Nandi Das and Roshan Roshan Upadhyay.

A major highlight of the inaugural programme was the release of Butterflies of Bodoland & Lower Assam, a pictorial guide featuring 432 photographic records of the region’s butterfly diversity. The book was authored by Atanu Bose, Mahesh Baruah and Dr. Monsoon J. Gogoi.

Gogoi said Bose had been documenting butterflies in the region since 2007, while Baruah joined the effort in 2016, reflecting years of fieldwork and photographic documentation.

Another publication released at the event was Butterflies of Assam, authored by Dr. Monsoon J. Gogoi and Loren Sonowal. The booklet documents 160 common butterfly species found in Assam and supports Project Pokhila, a citizen-science initiative promoting butterfly monitoring across the state.

The conference proceedings, edited by Hilloljyoti Singha and Kamal Azad, the meet’s chief organiser, were also released.

The event brought together representatives from government, academic institutions and conservation organisations, including James Basumatary, Executive Member of the BTC; MLA Thaneswar Basumatary; Executive Member Akhtara Ahmed; and T. Seshidhar Reddy, Divisional Forest Officer.

Other participants included Rathin Barman of the Wildlife Trust of India, Rajib Rudra Tariang of WWF-India, Dr. Hilloljyoti Singha of Bodoland University and representatives of WWF and Aaranyak.

International experts included Dr. Martin Konvička, Professor at the University of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic; Piet van der Poel, author of Butterflies of Nepal; Tshulthrim, founder of the Butterfly Society of Bhutan; Nawangla Bhutia, founder of the BAMOS Lepidoptera Society in Sikkim; and Bodoland-based butterfly expert Borjo K. Basumatary.

Discussions during the three-day conference focused on butterfly research, species documentation, conservation challenges and the ecological importance of butterflies. The gathering also provided a platform for researchers, students and conservation practitioners to exchange knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration.

The documentation findings highlighted the biodiversity significance of the Manas landscape and its potential for further scientific research, environmental education and nature-based ecotourism. The meet underscored the importance of collaborative research and sustained efforts to document and conserve the region’s rich butterfly diversity.