October is a significant month in our environmental calendar as each year wildlife week is celebrated in India in the first week of October. The main motto behind this celebration is to preserve the wildlife in India and the week aims to make common masses more mindful of the conservation and protection of wildlife. The articles presented in this issue also focus on the conservation of fauna in India ranging from butterflies to high-altitude pheasants to Malabar large-spotted civet.

In the cover story, we look at the alluring world of butterflies and the conservation threats that these beautiful creatures face. We need butterflies because they are the bio-indicators and can sense the slightest alteration in an ecosystem. Like other animals, butterflies have many natural predators such as insects, birds, spiders and lizards but they face the maximum danger from human beings. There are many species of butterflies which are smuggled in international markets of various countries as they are killed and framed for decoration and other ornamental uses. In India, the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides poses another serious threat to butterfly conservation. Several human interferences, such as agriculture, fires and dams, alter forest structure and plant composition, or completely destroy butterfly habitats. Therefore, the need of the hour is to conduct more research on the conservation of butterflies in India to save them.

In this month’s feature article on conservation efforts to save high-altitude pheasants in Himachal Pradesh, the author points out that high-altitude pheasants are considered important for the ecological health of an area, and therefore their conservation is crucial for maintaining it. Unfortunately, the number of cheer pheasants and western tragopan, the high-altitude birds, has been dwindling and these two species have been listed in the Red Data Book of the IUCN. Disintegration of pheasant habitats is the main reason for the dwindling number of pheasants and other birds and animals. Forest fires, construction of roads along the forests, and hunting of these birds in the past have led to decline in their population. Because of habitat disturbances such as grazing by livestock, collection of forest produce, and change in land use practices, the natural populations of these rare birds are small. Overall reduction in the quality of the available habitat in the restricted range has contributed to the decline in their population. That is why conservation of these endangered species of pheasants is crucial. Fortunately, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has taken initiatives for conservation, protection, and breeding of these beautiful pheasants in their natural habitat. You will read about these efforts in the article.

With these articles and many other articles of current interest, we hope that you enjoy reading this issue of TerraGreen. I would again urge all of you to strictly continue the practice of the wearing of masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, sanitization of workplaces, and temperature screening to win the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to reclaim and regain our lives and lifestyles-but with these important changes