To have one identified as a national icon, like we have our national animal, flower and bird, is the best celebration of butterflies, he says. Several other butterfly enthusiasts, experts, researchers and scientists like them shared the thought and came together during lockdown to start the process of choosing the country’s national butterfly. It is important to have a national butterfly as it will help generate awareness about Nature and how these beautiful insects warn us about changes in the environment [like pollution and global warming,” he says. By mid-October, the proposal with the top three ranking butterfly species from public polling will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment & Forests. “We are hoping in the new year, we will have a national butterfly,” says Barve.

Source: The Hindu September 11, 2020 17:18 UTC