RESEARCH: SYMBRENTHIA SILANA

Rediscovery of the federally protected Scarce Jester Butterfly, Symbrenthia silana, from the Eastern Himalaya and Garo Hills, northeastern India:
 

The Scarce Jester butterfly, Symbrethia silana, is a rare butterfly that is endemic to the Eastern Himalaya and NE India. It is legally protected in India under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. However, it had not been seen since the early 1900s until our very first field trip to Sikkim in April 2008. The species has since been recorded half a dozen times from North Sikkim, Nokrek National Park (Garo Hills, Meghalaya), and Namdapha and Eaglenest National Parks (Arunachal Pradesh) by other butterfly-watchers.

Recognizing the significance of these sightings, at the closing of the Forest Centenary on 12 December 2009, Department of Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management, Government of Sikkim, presented S. silana to the state of Sikkim as its “centennial butterfly”.

As a result of these findings, beginning 2010, we have started a long-term research project to survey current populations of rare, endemic and endangered butterflies in Sikkim. This research is supported by ATREE's Small Grants for NE India program, and by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies.

See the paper below for further information on this butterfly until more content is added to this page.


 

Publications:

Kunte, K. 2010. Rediscovery of the federally protected Scarce Jester Butterfly Symbrenthia silana de Nicéville, 1885 (Nymphalidae: Nymphalinae) from the Eastern Himalaya and Garo Hills, northeastern India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2:858-866. PDF file (5.8MB, has color plates).