4 months ago
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The Kerala authorities has officially renamed the Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, making it the archetypal butterfly sanctuary successful the State.
The determination was notified done SRO No. 1407/2025, issued nether conception 18(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The renaming amends the archetypal 1984 notification that declared the Aralam Farm country arsenic a wildlife sanctuary. The alteration follows a proposal made by the State Board for Wildlife, citing the area’s exceptional butterfly diverseness and abundance.
Declared a sanctuary successful 1984, Aralam spans 55 sq km of evergreen and semi-evergreen forests successful Kannur district. The portion is known for large-scale butterfly migration and mud-puddling and is besides a peculiar situation of the Schedule 1 Slender loris. It shares boundaries with the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary successful Karnataka, the Kottiyoor Wildlife Sanctuary, and the North Wayanad wood division.
The Cheenkanni river, an important stream successful Kannur territory originating from the Brahmagiri ranges, flows done the dense forests of Aralam, contributing to its affluent habitat.
Butterfly surveys conducted implicit the past 25 years person documented bonzer diverseness successful the sanctuary. Of the 327 butterfly taxon recorded successful Kerala, 266 taxon person been identified successful Aralam. Survey teams person reported wide migrations, including the sighting of astir 12,000 Common Albatross butterflies successful 5 minutes and the question of implicit 8 lakh Albatross butterflies done the sanctuary connected January 11, 2025. Other taxon specified arsenic the Spotted Butterfly, Buddha Mayuri, Rosy, Thalir Neeli, Okila Butterfly, and Malabar Rose were besides recorded.
The renaming aims astatine strengthening conservation efforts focussed connected protecting, propagating and sustaining butterfly taxon successful their earthy habitat.
