Sikkim: Blue Duke declared state butterfly

Sikkim marked the World Environment Day in an apt manner, announcing the Blue Duke as the state butterfly. Of the 720 butterfly species in Sikkim, Blue Duke was selected as the state butterfly securing 57 per cent of the votes in a recent online poll.

Blue Duke, also called Bassarona durga durga, is unique to Sikkim and Eastern Himalayas, first discovered in the state in 1858.

The idea of a state butterfly was brought by butterfly enthusiast Nosang M Limboo from Darap as part of The Butterfly Society of Sikkim (TPCF) in 2018.