What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
TAMENGLONG (MANIPUR): An environment of gloom still shrouds the Zeliangrong Naga-dominated Tamenglong district in ethnic violence-hit Manipur. Nonetheless, there is no let down in Manipuri hospitality.
In quiet corners of the city and in surrounding jungles and near water bodies, forest officials and passionate animal enthusiasts are gearing up to greet and safeguard their avian guests, the Amur Falcons.
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Forest officials and animal lovers of Zeliangrong Naga dominated – Tamenglong district of Manipur have all prepared to welcome and take multi-tasking measures to protect their winged guests, Amur falcons.
The long-distance… pic.twitter.com/zpnwDkMmS9
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There is a total ban on hunting, capturing, killing, and selling of these birds as well as on the use of air guns during the falcons’ roosting period.
These long-distance migratory birds typically arrive in Manipur, primarily in Tamenglong and neighboring Nagaland, around mid-October after journeying from their breeding grounds in South Eastern Siberia and Northern China, according to wildlife experts.
After spending a little over a month in the state, the falcons, locally known as Akhuaipuina, depart and head towards the Southern and Eastern parts of Africa, briefly roosting before returning to their breeding grounds.
Forest officials in Manipur overseeing Tamenglong, along with the Rainforest Club Tamenglong (RCT), a local group of wildlife enthusiasts, have outlined a series of initiatives to raise awareness among the local villages for the protection and appreciation of these winged guests during their stay.
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Continuing a tradition from previous years, the “Amur falcon dance festival” will once again be organized by the forest authorities in collaboration with RCT next month.
“As part of our upcoming efforts to safeguard Amur falcons, we will soon enlist village volunteers to patrol the roosting sites alongside our forest guards, preventing any attempts to harm these birds,” divisional forest officer (Tamenglong), Amandeep told The New Indian.
“We are also planning to attach satellite transmitters to two healthy birds to track their migratory routes. To facilitate this, we have engaged scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII),” he added.
Additionally, there are plans to have stories about the falcons written by local villagers, which will be published to further raise awareness, according to the officer.
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RCT secretary Ramhiamang Gonmei stated that they are actively reaching out to youth, including college and school students, as part of their awareness campaign.
“Our members and volunteers are fully prepared to launch the awareness program in villages, colleges, and schools. We have selected volunteers who will join forces with forest guards to commence patrolling at the roosting sites,” he said. Most of the falcons tend to roost in significant numbers in the forests along the Barak and Irang rivers.
Furthermore, the use of air guns has been banned throughout the district, with instructions for residents to deposit them with their respective village authorities’ offices. The order stipulates that “the concerned village authority shall keep the air guns deposited in their custody until the last flock leaves their roosting place or until November 2023.”
