Wiki Loves Butterfly: Community-Led Contributions in Dzongu Valley, North Sikkim, India

Wiki Loves Butterfly (WLB) is a field documentation and digital conservation initiative run by a dedicated and passionate group of volunteers in India who are deeply enthusiastic about butterflies. Over the course of eight years, the project has made remarkable progress, contributing more than 16,700 high-quality images to Wikimedia Commons and documenting 666 butterfly species and subspecies across diverse ecosystems — including wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, reserve forests, protected areas, butterfly parks, and other biodiversity-rich locations in eastern and north-eastern states of India.

Expanding Horizons: Dzongu Valley, North Sikkim

In 2021, WLB expanded its wings to the remote and breathtaking Dzongu Valley in North Sikkim, aiming to document its exceptional butterfly diversity and foster community engagement and conservation awareness in this ecologically significant area.

Dzongu Valley is a fairly triangular dense forest mountain region in North Sikkim, spread over an area of about 80 square kilometers with an altitude ranging from 3000 to 20,000 feet above sea level, is a remarkable destination for butterfly watching due to its unique blend of geography, biodiversity and conservation. This Lepcha Reserve area is bordered to the north-east by rapid flowing Tholung or Rongyoung chu (Chu means river in Bhutia Language) and the south-east area by the Teesta River. It is bounded by majestic Himalayan peaks, such as Mt. Kanchenjunga (27,803 feet), Mt. Pandim (21,950 feet), Mt. Simvo (22,476 feet) and Mt.Siniolchu (22,600 feet) in the west and bordered by the Khangchendzonga National Park (or Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve) in the north. 

A Living Field Station of Butterflies

Dzongu is emerging as one of India’s most unexplored butterfly hotspots and recent surveys have documented over 420 species in Dzongu alone, accounting for more than 60% of Sikkim’s total butterfly fauna. The region’s ecological richness is further protected by its status as a Lepcha heritage zone, ensuring minimal human disturbance and preservation of pristine forests. Local naturalists and communities play a vital role in conservation and documentation efforts, turning Dzongu into a living field station for researchers and a peaceful haven for nature lovers. With its lush greenery, clear streams and flourishing flora, Dzongu offers perfect conditions for butterfly activity, making it one of India’s most special and undiscovered butterfly-watching destinations.

Looking Ahead: Building Community Through Knowledge Sharing and Awareness

As Wiki Loves Butterfly (WLB) began its journey in Dzongu, the vision extended beyond documenting butterfly species. It includes fostering a collaborative network of local naturalists, students, and community members. In 2021, two WLB team members from West Bengal, Sandip Das and Sourabh Biswas, visited Dzongu for an initial effort to document butterflies. The following year, in 2022, WLB partnered with the Butterfly Society of Sikkim–TPCF to begin structured outreach in the region. That year, Souvick Mukherjee, another WLB team member from West Bengal, collaborated with local enthusiasts to conduct a photo-walk and school outreach program at the Government Secondary School in Pasingdang, Upper Dzongu. The event generated enthusiasm among students, some of whom began photographing butterflies using mobile phones and expressed interest in contributing to the Wikimedia movement.

Building on this momentum, a two-day butterfly walk was organized the following year as a joint initiative, which positively impacted students, nature lovers, and the local community.  In 2024, I visited Dzongu again, further strengthening our friendship and collaboration with local enthusiasts. 

Today, Dzongu proudly has six active contributors—including students and researchers—who regularly document butterfly species and share their work on Wikimedia Commons. So far, this dedicated team has recorded 277 species and subspecies of butterflies, with 30 of their images (representing 10.8% of total uploads) recognized as Valued Images. Through their efforts, they are helping bridge local ecological knowledge with global platforms for conservation and education.