On the occasion of World Environment Day, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has declared Blue Duke as state butterfly.

The butterfly was declared the state butterfly of Sikkim based on an online poll, which was conducted recently.

Of the 720 species of butterflies found in Sikkim, Blue Duke secured 57 per cent votes in the poll conducted by the Forest Department.

Blue Duke, which goes by the scientific name Bassarona durga durga, is unique to Sikkim and the eastern Himalayas. It was discovered in the state in 1858.

Meanwhile, Krishna Peacock (Papilio Krishna) secured 43 per cent of votes in the online polls to secure the second position.

Blue Duke falls in Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and is a protected species in the Himalayas.