09-Jan-2025

Banded Royal Butterfly

Environment & Ecology

Why in News? 

Tripura achieved a significant milestone in biodiversity documentation with the first-ever sighting of the Banded Royal butterfly (Rachana jalindra indra), a rare species, within the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary. 

About Banded Royal Butterfly 

 

Banded Royal Butterfly 

  • Scientific Name: Rachana jalindra 
  • Habitat 
    • Found in forests across South and Southeast Asia, including the Western Ghats, Northeast India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. 
    • Prefers dense vegetation and is often spotted resting on leaves. 
    • Subspecies in India 
      • R. j. macantia: Found in southwest India to Goa. 
      • R. j. tarpina: Found in the Andamans. 
      • R. j. indra: Found in Odisha, West Bengal, Bangladesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Jharkhand. 
  • Appearance 
    • Upper Side: Males have a deep purple or bluish sheen with dark brown borders; females are brownish with white markings. 
    • Under Side: Pale brown with distinct white bands, giving it a "banded" look. 
  • Legal Protection: Listed under Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 

Key Facts about Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary (SWL) 

  • Location: Situated in Tripura, 25 km from Agartala. 
  • Area: Covers approximately 18.53 sq. km. 
  • Divisions: Five sections for different animal types—carnivore, primate, ungulate, reptile, and aviary sections. 
  • Notable Feature: Includes Clouded Leopard National Park, established in 2007. 
  • Natural Lakes: Abasarika and Amrit Sagar. 
  • Vegetation: Moist deciduous forest with over 456 plant species, including various bamboos, grasses, and medicinal plants. 
  • Fauna 
    • Hosts primates like Rhesus macaque, Pig-tailed macaque, Capped langur, Spectacled langur, and Slow loris. 
    • Other wildlife includes leopards, clouded leopards, civets, barking deer, wild pigs, jungle fowls, and the crab-eating mongoose, which was rediscovered here after the 1930s.