Eaglenest Wildlife

Nestled in the misty mountains of West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is a jewel of the Eastern Himalaya, celebrated for its exceptional biodiversity. The sanctuary shelters over 600 species of birds, more than 350 species of butterflies, and over 1,000 species of moths, along with a remarkable variety of frogs, lizards, and other rare fauna. Eaglenest is the only known habitat of the BugunLiocichla, a bird discovered by Dr. Ramana Athreya in 2006 — the first new bird species described from mainland India in over half a century.
From 2010 to 2015, Titli Trust carried out extensive studies of butterflies and moths in Eaglenest, supported by Rufford Small Grants. The work aimed to establish long-term monitoring programmes and assist local communities in developing eco-tourism as a livelihood option. During this period, Sanjay Sondhi discovered the Bompu Litter Frog Leptobrachiumbompu in 2011, a species new to science, from Bompu within the sanctuary. Remarkably, Eaglenest remains the only known site in the world where both species of Bhutan Glory butterflies occur together.
Beyond biodiversity research, Titli Trust has contributed through technical publications, brochures, and books, while initiating butterfly and moth tourism at Eaglenest, while strengthening the capacity of local guides and forest staff. Today, Eaglenest stands as one of Northeast India’s finest butterfly hotspots and a model for community-based conservation and nature-linked tourism.