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Participation in Shendurney WLS Survey
An Introduction of Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary
Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Western Ghats, India. It is
located in Kollam district of Kerala and comes under the control of Agasthyamalai
Biosphere Reserve. It was established in 25th August 1984 and comprises 172.403
square kilometres (66.565 sq mi). The name is a corruption of the Chengurinji, a tree
endemic to the region (Gluta travancorica). The sanctuary is having an artificial lake
of nearly 18.69Sq.km size and also surrounded by the reservoir of Thenmala Dam.
The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is a treasure house of plant diversity. About 1257
species of flowering plants belonging to more than 150 families are reported from
this sanctuary of which 309 species are endemic to Western Ghats. Birds from 267
species including migratory, endemic and endangered species have been reported
here.
Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest cover a major area of the sanctuary.
[Source: WIKI]
Kerala Forest Department along with Travancore Natural History Society (TNHS) have been conducting Butterfly Surveys at
the Shendurney Wildlife sanctuary from 2011. The first survey yielded as many as 176 species of butterflies with the high-
lights being Palmking, Travancore Evening Brown, Small Palm Bob, Golden Tree Flitter and Red-disc Bushbrown. During 2015
March survey, 185 species of butterflies were recorded with highlights being Travancore Evening Brown, Orange Awlet, Blue
Oakleaf, Autumn Leaf, Wax Dart, Five-bar Swordtail, Golden Tree Flitter, Lesser Albatross, Tawny Rajah and Pointed
Lineblue. During 2016, 176 species of butterflies were recorded with highlights being Tufted White Royal, Painted Courte-
san, Alida Angle, Malabar Rose, Malabar Banded Swallow tail, Malabar Raven, Spot Puffin, Lesser Albatross, Red Disc Bush
Brown, Malabar Tree Nymph, White Hedge blue, Rosy Oakblue, Tamil Oakblue, Common Tinsel, Siva sunbeam, Bicolour Ace
and Golden Tree flitter.
This year around, four of us from Tamil Nadu Butterfly Society attended the survey conducted between 10th and 12th of
November 2017. The long list of rarities present in the sanctuary was a good enough reason for the team to heed to the call
of Dr Kalesh Sadasivan who is behind this long term initiative. We were looking forward to the survey, despite the North
East rains in Tamil Nadu and the threat of rains in the sanctuary.
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
WINGS 2 VEINS 1
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