Siliguri: The first-ever live photograph of the female Kaiser-i-Hind butterfly (Teinopalpus imperialis, Hope 1843) in India has been captured in the wild at Ravangla in Namchi district of Sikkim.

The announcement was made by Butterflies and Moths of Sikkim–Nature Conservation Society (BAMOS-NCS), a registered organisation of butterfly enthusiasts, on April 14, 2025.

A media release by the society stated that the butterfly was photographed on January 3, 2025, at 2.30pm by Chewang Norbu Bhutia and Hishey Ongmu Bhutia, both veterinary doctors based in Ravangla. The butterfly was spotted at an altitude of around 7,500 feet.

The historic photograph has been presented to Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), the chief minister of Sikkim.

The Kaiser-i-Hind, which translates to ‘Emperor of India’, is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 and is listed as a “Near Threatened” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), making it one of the most threatened butterfly species in India.

Earlier, the male of the species had been photographed in India.

The Arunachal Pradesh government recognised the species as the state butterfly in 2022.

The identification of the female butterfly was confirmed by Nawang Gyatso Bhutia, a noted conservationist, alongside fellow butterfly experts Kavita Rai, Prem Baniya Chettri, and Sonam Wangchuk Rongkop (Lepcha), all executive members of the society.

Additional expert validation came from renowned lepidopterists Monsoon Jyoti Gogo from Assam and Sailendra Dewan from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), a globally recognised NGO working for environmental conservation.

“The society’s awareness initiative was informative and valuable. I am grateful for their support in confirming the identification — it added significance to the event,” said photographer Chewang Norbu Bhutia.

BAMOS-NCS hailed the sighting — and the photograph — as a major boost for butterfly tourism in Sikkim, a growing eco-tourism trend that draws enthusiasts and researchers from across the globe.

With over 720 recorded butterfly species, Sikkim is becoming a hotspot for butterfly watchers and nature photographers.

“The society is actively promoting conservation through awareness programs, guided butterfly trails, and educational outreach. These initiatives also support sustainable livelihoods for local communities,” said a member of BAMOS-NCS.

Sonam Pintos Sherpa, general secretary of the Butterfly Society of Sikkim, noted that a male Kaiser-i-Hind was sighted in Dzongu, north Sikkim, in August 2024. “Spotting a female of this species in the wild is extremely rare,” said Sherpa, who is based in Rimbi,
west Sikkim.

Sherpa further highlighted that butterfly tourism is steadily gaining traction in Sikkim, with Rimbi, Kitam Bird Sanctuary, and Dzongu being the top butterfly-watching locations.

Rare species such as the Six-bar Swordtail, Spectacle Swordtail, and Blue Duke can be spotted in these areas.