Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Swallowtail Butterfly
Why in the News?
A recent study has found that the overexploitation of medicinal plants, is threatening the survival of swallowtail butterflies in the forest habitats of Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Region.
About Swallowtail Butterfly
| Details | |
| Family and Species | Family: Papilionidae Global species: 573 Indian species: 77 |
| Characteristics |
|
| Distribution | Found in tropical and temperate regions of Asia, Africa, Americas |
| Habitat in India | Found in rainforests, woodlands, cultivated lands, and protected areas like the Western Ghats and Northeast India |
| Host Plants | Depend on specific plants like Rutaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Lauraceae, and Magnoliaceae families for larval development |
| Threats |
|
Swallowtail Conservation Action Plan (SCAP) |
|
| Purpose | To protect and conserve endangered swallowtail species and prevent their extinction |
| Focus Area | Focuses on habitat protection, host plant conservation, and population restoration |
| Swallowtail-Rich Zones | Northeastern India designated as a key zone for swallowtail conservation under SCAP |
| Legal Protection | 12 swallowtail species in India are under federal protection; Some species are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. |
| Community Role | SCAP involves local communities in protecting host plants and preventing activities like illegal cattle grazing |
PYQ:[2016] Recently, for the first time in our country, which of the following States has declared a particular butterfly as ‘State Butterfly’? (a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Himachal Pradesh (c) Karnataka (d) Maharashtra |
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