Dehing Patkai Records 165 Butterfly Species

Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam has recorded 165 butterfly species, including 37 endangered species, during a biodiversity survey in 2026. The park covers 234.26 square kilometres and lies across the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

Dehing Patkai National Park

Dehing Patkai National Park is a rainforest landscape in Assam and forms part of the larger Dehing Patkai ecosystem. It is located in the eastern part of India and is known for tropical wet evergreen forest cover.

Butterfly Diversity in Assam

Butterflies are insects of the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. India has more than 1,500 butterfly species, and the north-eastern region is among the richest butterfly habitats in the country.

• Butterflies are used as indicator species in ecological studies because they are sensitive to habitat change.
• Endangered species are listed under conservation categories based on population decline, habitat loss, or restricted distribution.
• Assam contains several protected areas with rainforest and wetland ecosystems, including national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Dihing Patkai National Park Biodiversity and Butterfly Trail

The fourth annual Dihing Patkai National Park Biodiversity and Butterfly Trail was held from 28 July to 31 July 2026. The survey covered rainforests in Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and documented more than 260 butterfly species across all surveyed locations.

The trail recorded more than 60 species in Jaipur in Assam, about 57 species in the Deomali Range in Tirap district, about 68 species at Siring Mamoroni village in the Lakhipathar range, and about 78 species at the Saraipung range. The survey also recorded capped langurs at Jaipur.

Important Facts for Exams

• Dehing Patkai National Park spans 234.26 square kilometres.
• The park is located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam.
• Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera.
• The north-eastern region of India is a major butterfly diversity zone.

Environmental and forest departments in Assam are linked with the protection of Dehing Patkai National Park. The 2026 trail involved environmentalists Sohail Madan and Mahendra Basumatary, along with students from Gauhati University, Dibrugarh University, and Tingkhong College.