Mysore/Mysuru: Identifying the number of species of butterflies present at Nagarahole National Park will be part of the 66th Wildlife Week celebrations, according to Deputy Conservator of Forests and Director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Mahesh Kumar.

Sharing the details of Wildlife Week celebrations in Hunsur yesterday, he said this was a maiden attempt of the Forest Department to add it to database of the flora and fauna of the protected park. It will be held from Oct. 8 to 11 in association with College of Forests, Ponnampet, National Centre for Biological Science, Bengaluru. This kind of exercise was undertaken at Kali Tiger Reserve last year.

Mahesh Kumar said a number of programmes are planned as part of Wildlife Celebrations which began today and to be held till Oct. 10. It included talks on All India Radio on vultures, pangolin, mouse deer, four-horned antelop, otters and flying squirrels from 7.45 am to 8 am daily till Oct 8. A photography competition is planned in three categories. Winners will be given a free safari ride plus stay besides certificate of merit. 

A slogan and quiz competition is planned for high school and college students. While the quiz is pertaining to wildlife, the slogan writing will be in both English and Kannada and the subjects are ‘Vultures for future’, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve and Wildlife.’ Cash prizes will be given to winners.

Cycle Jatha

This time, State-level Cycle Jathas are planned. While the first Jatha will start today from Mutthodi and culminate at Bengaluru the second will start from Kushalanagar on Oct. 4 and reach Nagarahole on Oct. 5 and reach Mysuru the same day. Another Jatha will start from Mysuru Aranya Bhavan on Oct. 7 and reach Dammanakatte on the same day at 10 pm. It will pass though Srirampura, Jayapura, Handpost and Antarsanthe. The aim of this was to create awareness on wildlife, the DCF said.

Metikuppa Assistant Conservator of Forests Mahadev and Paul Antony of Nagarahole were present on the occasion.