State Butterfly of Sikkim - Blue Duke
Sikkim was polled to decide the state butterfly of Sikkim and yes the people have chosen Duke Blue Duke as a state pride. In a first of its kind of citizen poll, Blue Duke received 57 % vote edging past Krishna Peacock who received 43 %. Apart from public voting, the Forest Department of Sikkim had an expert committee of 11 members giving 6-5 votes for Blue Duke. Both the two finalists were shortlisted from 720 entries. Re-discovered in 2012 (Moore, 1858) at Tadong, Gangtok by Nosang Limboo, butterfly man of Sikkim, had initiated the proposal to come up with a state butterfly concept to the state government. Bassarona durga as it is generically called belongs to the Bassarona genus and the Nymphaliedia family is a four-footed butterfly. PS Golay, the Chief Minister of Sikkim officially announced Blue Duke as the state butterfly on the occasion of the world environment day event held at Saramsa on June 6, 2022. FOR MORE CLICK SIKKIM BUTTERFLIES