Arunachal: Two Rare Butterflies Spotted for First Time in India During Mechukha Meet
The newly recorded species — Metok Green Sapphire (Heliophorus gloria) and Medog Tufted Ace (Sebastonyma medoensis).
MECHUKHA- In a historic moment for biodiversity research in India, two butterfly species previously undocumented in the country have been recorded during the First-Ever High-Altitude Butterfly and Biodiversity Meet held at Mechukha, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi-Yomi district.
The newly recorded species — Metok Green Sapphire (Heliophorus gloria) and Medog Tufted Ace (Sebastonyma medoensis) — were earlier only known to exist in Hanmi, Metok region of southeast Tibet.
Their discovery during the biodiversity meet marks a major breakthrough in Indian lepidopteran (butterfly) research and draws national attention to the unexplored ecological wealth of the Eastern Himalayas.
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The two-day meet, organized by the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Tourism on July 19–20, witnessed participation from 72 individuals including students, researchers, PhD scholars, and nature enthusiasts from across India. Representatives from NERIST, Tezpur University, Mizoram University, Digboi College, and ATREE joined the event alongside local schoolchildren and community leaders.
A staggering 107 butterfly species were recorded in total — a rare feat for a maiden event — including new distribution records of other rare butterflies like Tiger-mimic Admiral, Tibetan Brimstone, Bhutan Blackvein, Brown Gorgon, Scarce Jester, and three species of Jungle queen.
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The event featured butterfly walks, biodiversity trails, aqua therapy sessions, and interactive awareness games, aiming to merge science, tourism, and conservation.
Earlier this year, on May 31, 2025, another elusive species — the Chinese Rose Windmill — was also recorded for the first time in India from Mechukha, underscoring the region’s extraordinary ecological potential.
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Lt. Col. of the Sikh Regiment, ADC Mechuka, and tourism officers attended the closing ceremony at the NCDS Community Hall, urging the community to take ownership of biodiversity conservation and explore eco-tourism as a sustainable livelihood option.
Leading lepidopterist Dr. Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi, associated with a long-term butterfly conservancy program in the Siang Valley, called the discoveries a “scientific milestone”, redefining our understanding of Himalayan biodiversity.
These groundbreaking findings have the potential to transform Mechukha into a national hub for butterfly tourism and citizen science while empowering the local community to steward its natural heritage.
