All the colours of the rainbow and some of rarest plant life in south India can be found at the bottom of the nursery, inside the ITWWS Butterfly House. An environment to allow rare and endangered butterflies and plant life to flourish in an age of deforestation is the ambition in which the house was founded. Stepping into the world of flying invertebrates provides an atmosphere to stimulate the senses and lets you unwind in the surroundings of a natural sanctuary. Constructed by Irula people, the house is a combination of adivasi forest knowledge, environmental conservation and biodiversity.
The house is approximately 120ft by 60ft and represents wildlife innovation to facilitate the empowerment of the Irula communities. Irula villagers were employed to introduce the plants, build the butterfly abode, and are constantly tending to and maintaining the in-house environment. This natural attraction will work towards respect and recognition with regards to the reputation of the Irula tribe’s efforts to regenerate and protect the natural environment. Universities, colleges, schools, research centres and general visitors will all be able to learn and study about the Irula’s relationship with the forest habitats, as well as the many different species of butterflies and plant life.
The extensive employment of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in south India and the rapidly disappearing forest cover have been contributing factors in the depletion of natural habitats for butterfly species. The butterflies’ presence serves to monitor ecological changes in the local habitat, thus, warning us about deteriorating environmental levels. Devi, one of the ITWWS ecological department coordinators tells me, “As we have introduced so many endangered plants, the house is not only for the benefit of butterflies, but works to revitalize the forest’s fauna.”
Anyone who walks around the ITWWS campus can clearly see the many different species of butterflies present. Devi emphasizes, “we don’t want to lose the butterflies so we are using plants to let them feed and lay eggs on. So far we’ve counted around 62 species of butterflies. The most common types in Thandarai are the Crimson Rose, Common Emigrant and the Plain Tiger.” Devi and her team have conducted extensive research into what type of environment will be best for the butterflies to flourish in.
“Different species are attracted to different plants. For example the Common Indian Crow is attracted by the flowers of Caesalpinia coriaria and lays eggs on Nerium plants, Thevetia nerifolia, Hemidesmus indicus.”
The winding path through the house takes you past spectacular flowers, water features and a glorious display of exotic evergreen vegetation. Through the maturing of the in-house environment, a shelter for butterflies and a diverse range of wildlife will take root and establish itself in the Thandarai countryside. As traditional tribal knowledge allows the Irulas to instantly distinguish particular plant species and their uses, through the Butterfly House they can also recognize that it’ll not only highlight the suppression of their communities but the forest’s struggle to survive.
