Despite being home to an ever-expanding concrete jungle and rapid deforestation, Mumbai’s butterflies have managed to survive the odds and continue to delight nature enthusiasts. Now, a first-of-its-kind book on the 153 species of butterflies found in and around the city will document these winged insects.
Launched on Tuesday at Maharashtra Nature Park (MNP) in Dharavi, Butterflies of Mumbai brings together little-known facts about these insects with more than 400 pictures of the different species.

‘Spread of the Bt gene could make brinjal a problematic weed'

An independent enquiry has revealed that the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically modified, or GM) Bt brinjal poses risks to the environment and possibly to human health. The occurrence of wild, weedy and also cultivated relatives presents a likelihood that the GE Bt gene will spread to these relatives but, so far, this has largely been overlooked in the risk assessments for GE Bt brinjal, it says.

Forest department to start preliminary works at Upper Anicut reserve forest

Preliminary works for the establishment of a tropical butterfly conservatory in Srirangam is set to begin soon with funds being granted to the Forest Department for this purpose. The State government has sanctioned Rs. 1.61 crore as first instalment to the Forest Department to carry out a host of works for setting up the conservatory which will come up in the Upper Anicut reserve forest in Srirangam. The funds have been provided from the 13th Finance Commission.

Climate change will make conserving the world’s biodiversity — including the human benefits associated with conservation, such as clean air and water — much more challenging and expensive, research reveals.

Sustainable Brands Conference 2012

According to a group of international researchers convened by Conservation International, climate change may in some cases drive up costs by more than 100%.

NUMALIGARH: With a view to providing a proper home to butterflies in the unique Butterfly Valley in Golaghat district, especially the endangered varieties, the North East Institute of Science and Technology is trying to locate and nurture plants there on which they breed.

The valley is situated inside the Numaligarh Refinery township, spread over an area of 30 acres amidst a backdrop of verdant green and surrounded by hillocks. It is adjacent to the misty Deopahar hills and the Kaliani river, and is not far away from the world-famous Kaziranga National Park either.

Butterfly wings are not just beautiful. They are also sophisticated collectors of solar energy that help butterflies stay warm, and researchers say that their shinglelike structure could provide valuable clues into developing better solar technology.

Fears of global warming, climate change, and irreversible loss of the planet's life support systems notwithstanding, plants and animals thrive within even the seemingly degraded habitats. Life is resilient. And, it is the resilient plant or animal that brings a bit of cheer to the desolate soul, as is evident in the various forms of art, literature, rituals, and human fantasies.

The Cabinet yesterday added six birds to the list of protected wild animals in Bhutan under the Forest and Nature Conservation Act.

This, forestry officials said, was the first change since the Act’s introduction in 1995, taking the total number of protected wild animals to 30 different species.

The bird species added to the list include White-belled heron, Chesnut-brested hill Patridge, White-rumped vulture, beautiful Nuthatch, Blyth’s Tragopan and Satyr Tragopan.

Itanagar: A new species of moth has been sighted in Arunachal Pradesh, bringing joy to nature lovers who noted that many moth and butterfly varieties were on the verge of extinction in India. The moth was photographed by nature enthusiasts of Ngunu Ziro, led by Dr Tage Kano, during their field trip to Talley Valley Reserve last September.

“The photograph was sent to the education officer of the Bombay Natural History Society, Dr V Subhalaxmi, for identification. Dr Subhalaxmi identified it as Genus level,” Ariff Siddiqui, a lepidopterist, who was a member of the team, said.