Butterfly conservatory sees a dip in visitors

There was a sharp decline in the number of visitors to the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in Srirangam, a popular tourist spot, on Saturday and Sunday what with COVID-19 cases rising sharply in Tiruc

There was a sharp decline in the number of visitors to the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory in Srirangam, a popular tourist spot, on Saturday and Sunday what with COVID-19 cases rising sharply in Tiruchi district over the past few days. Safety protocols were being strictly adhered to prior to allowing visitors into the lush green 27-hectare conservatory sandwiched between the Cauvery river and the Coleroon river, said a Forest Department official. The conservatory which remained shut for nearly eight months since mid-March last year in the wake of the pandemic was re-opened on November 12. Although the footfalls were initially less, it began to gradually increase. The number of tourists who visited the conservatory post re-opening on November 12 till date was over 68,000.