At least 64 new fern species were spotted during a three-day expedition and cleanliness drive at Tale Wildlife Sanctuary in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. The expedition organised by the Hapoli forest division of the district in collaboration with Ngunu Ziro, a local NGO working on conservation, concluded on February 13, official sources said.

During the expedition, around 64 new fern species, including the rare Polystichum Polyodon, were found, the sources said. Ashish Soni, a researcher from Botanical Survey of India (BSI), who is currently researching on ferns found in Lower Subansiri district, helped in identification of the new species.

Eurasian Woodcock, a rare bird which was hitherto never spotted in the Tale wildlife sanctuary, was also photographed by Koj Mama of Ngunu Ziro during the event.

Tale valley is one of the most diverse biodiversity spots in the state with an astounding variety of butterflies, birds, orchids, rhododendrons and ferns. The area is also revered in the folklore of the Apatani tribe.