Guwahati:More than a decade of dedicated fieldwork inside Assam’s smallest wildlife sanctuary has resulted in one of the state’s most extensive butterfly records.
Independent researcher and wildlife photographer Sarangapani Neog has released the second edition of Butterflies of Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, documenting 281 butterfly species recorded from the 20.98 sq km Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Jorhat district.
The publication draws on surveys conducted between 2012 and 2024 and is designed as a reference for researchers, students, forest officials and nature enthusiasts.
Spanning 321 pages, the revised edition considerably expands existing documentation of butterfly diversity in the sanctuary, which is widely recognised as the habitat of the endangered western hoolock gibbon. Despite its relatively small area, the protected forest sustains remarkable biodiversity, with its evergreen canopy, diverse vegetation and network of forest streams creating favourable conditions for a wide range of butterfly species.
A key feature of the book is its photo-based identification approach. Instead of relying heavily on technical descriptions, it uses high-resolution field photographs to help readers identify species through wing patterns, colours, distinctive markings and comparisons with similar-looking butterflies.
Each species is presented on an individual page, accompanied by information on habitat, behaviour, flight period and identification characteristics. The format is intended to make the guide equally useful for scientists, citizen naturalists and wildlife photographers.
According to Neog, the book is the culmination of years of documenting butterflies in their natural habitats, with the objective of producing an accessible field guide while contributing to biodiversity research and conservation awareness in Assam.
Before publication, the manuscript was reviewed by noted butterfly experts Isaac Kehimkar, Peter Smetacek, Purnendu Roy, Young James and Saito Motoki.
The book was formally launched by Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu. Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have also praised the publication, describing it as a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation and environmental education.
In addition to serving as a field identification guide, the publication offers a valuable long-term scientific record of one of Northeast India’s richest butterfly habitats and is expected to provide an important baseline for future biodiversity monitoring and conservation initiatives.