From 0 to 98 Species in a Year: Inside Karnataka’s Hidden Butterfly Haven

In coastal Karnataka, something beautiful has quietly taken shape. At the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station in Brahmavar, Udupi district, a 30-acre patch of naturally grown woodland has turned into a thriving home for 98 butterfly species — all in just a year.

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This is not a story of grand plans, but of nature finding its way back.

A forest left to find its song

Instead of creating enclosures or manicured gardens, the team — led by entomology academic Revanna Revannavar and K V K head B Dhananjaya — chose to step back and let nature lead.

The woodland remains largely untouched, save for a few gentle footpaths and around 30 information boards that identify host and nectar plants for visitors. The result is a living classroom — one where butterflies script their own lessons in ecology and coexistence.

Among the 98 recorded species are some of India’s most dazzling flyers: the stately Southern Birdwing, the striking Blue Mormon, the bright Jezebel, the graceful Great Orange Tip, and the vividly patterned Striped Tiger. These are not mere sightings, but signs of a thriving, balanced ecosystem.

Morning ballet in shade and light

The best time to witness this spectacle is between 8 am and 11 am. In those hours, the dappled sunlight warms the under-canopy, dew sparkles on nectar plants, and fluttering wings animate the stillness. The forest turns into a stage — and the butterfly, its performer.

But this park is more than a place to admire butterflies; it’s a classroom in disguise. Agricultural students and visiting schoolchildren engage with nature’s cycles, learning that butterflies are not just pretty wings — they are sentinel species that signal ecosystem health, act as natural pest regulators, and reveal the quality of vegetation.

Why it matters

With forests in the Western Ghats and coastal Karnataka under ever‑growing pressure, this park’s success holds significance. It demonstrates that habitat integrity, even on a modest scale, can yield surprising biodiversity returns.

Similar efforts elsewhere, for instance at the butterfly park near Vellalore Tank in Coimbatore, which documented over 100 species, echo the notion that conservation need not always be elaborate to be effective.

Bereft of pomp or pretence, there are no ticket barriers and few embellishments. Instead, there is the subtlety of a forest recovering its voice and the soft hum of wings in motion.
The rise from zero to 98 species in a single year isn’t just a statistic. It’s a story of regeneration — of how chance became change, and wings became hope.