Nature and biodiversity of Sikkim India

 Moths and trees share a very delicate and often unnoticed relationship. Some moth species are monophagous, meaning their caterpillars depend on only one specific tree or plant to survive. If that tree disappears, the moth has no future. And when the moth disappears, the natural balance around that tree slowly begins to change. The loss of a single moth does not alarm us. We feel nothing-because nothing seems to be lost. This is exactly how we lost fireflies. They did not vanish overnight; they disappeared slowly, quietly, until one day we realised they were gone. Nature rarely collapses suddenly. It weakens step by step. Moths are food for birds, pollinators for plants, and vital links in the ecological chain. When they vanish one by one, the damage spreads silently through the ecosystem. By the time the imbalance becomes visible, it is often too late to repair. Protecting trees also means protecting the small, unseen lives that depend on them-and in doing so, we protect the balan...

  We often forget that human beings have been connected with nature long before the modern idea of conservation emerged. In many cultures and religions, nature has been respected, worshipped, and protected through traditions passed down for generations. Today, on the auspicious occasion of Nag Panchami, I am reminded of this beautiful connection between faith and nature. Nag Panchami is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Nāgas, or serpents. On this day, prayers are offered for peace, happiness, prosperity, and protection. In many communities, priests visit homes and place an image of a Nāga on the entrance before offering prayers. As a naturalist , I find this practice meaningful. Snakes are often feared, especially venomous species. But they are an important part of our ecosystems, helping control rodents and maintaining ecological balance. When people learn to respect snakes instead of automatically killing them, even a spiritual tradition can indirectly contribute to t...

 Yesterday evening, I received a message from one of my very close friends. At first, I ignored it. A few minutes later, I opened it and found several photographs of butterflies.  He doesn’t know much about butterflies. He probably couldn’t name a single species. But he knows me—he knows my craziness, my passion, and how much these little creatures mean to me. He had taken those photographs simply because he saw something I love. At that moment, I felt that perhaps years of passion, hard work, and dedication had finally paid off—not because I had discovered a new species, but because someone who knew nothing about butterflies had learned to notice them, appreciate them, and care about them. He still sends me butterfly photographs from time to time. And perhaps that is what conservation is truly about: when your passion becomes someone else’s reason to care. Sonam Pintso Sherpa Green Journalist - Sikkim

 🦋 A Little Butterfly Happiness  11 August 2026  Sikkim India 🇮🇳 I don't force butterflies to sit on my face. As we know, butterflies are sometimes attracted to sweat and its salts, a behaviour known as puddling. They may visit people because sweat provides minerals such as sodium. These days, the weather has been sunny and hot, which makes me sweat more. And as a butterfly enthusiast, I actually enjoy these little moments when a butterfly comes close and decides to use me as its temporary mineral source! So, I took the opportunity to click a few photographs. I may not look particularly handsome in these pictures, but honestly, when a butterfly chooses to sit on me, that's more than enough to make me happy. For me, butterfly watching isn't always about finding a rare species or getting the perfect photograph. Sometimes it's simply about being outdoors, feeling connected with nature, and enjoying these tiny, unexpected encounters. A little sweat, a little sunshine, a...

  Butterfly Tourism in Sikkim: From a Dream to Reality in Rimbi Sikkim India   "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀". After many hectic days, I finally returned to the field. Today’s short walk along the riverside in Rimbi felt deeply refreshing. Butterflies of many colors were fluttering all around—it truly felt that the title “The Land of Swallowtails” is real. The land of Swallowtail Rimbi is alive with celebration, filled with the vibrant colors of countless butterflies. For a moment, it felt like I had stepped into a living dream. This season seems to have started earlier than last year. As we prepare to host the Rimbi Butterfly Walk in collaboration with Swallowtail Homestay RIMBI , seeing such vibrant activity in the field is truly encouraging. I’m hopeful that the coming days will be even more exciting. My dream of 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 in Sikkim now feels closer to reality. I began this journey 4–5 years ago, when only a s...

Rimbi  Dead Man’s Fingers” Emerge from Garden Wood in Rimbi Unusual wood-decaying fungus observed at Swallowtail Homestay, Rimbi, West Sikkim India While working in my garden at Swallowtail Homestay, Rimbi, I came across an unusual dark, finger-like fungus growing from an old piece of wood that had previously been used during gardening activities. As a naturalist, its strange appearance immediately caught my attention. I spent some time observing it and photographed it from different angles. The fungus was identified as Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha), a wood-decaying, saprotrophic fungus belonging to the family Xylariaceae. Its dark, club-shaped to finger-like fruiting bodies are responsible for its fascinating common name. Rather than being something harmful, fungi like Xylaria polymorpha have an important ecological role. They help break down dead and decaying wood, returning nutrients to the ecosystem and contributing to the natural process of decomposition. What I foun...