Asem Bhakta, Special Correspondent North East
Imphal: As Amur falcons, the long-distance migratory birds are landing in forest-rich Tamenglong district in multitudes next month, the district authority has rolled up sleeves to protect the raptors during their roosting stint with putting a slew of curbs, including a temporary ban on air guns.
District Magistrate (DM) of the Zeliangrong-Naga dominated district, L Angshim Dangshawa, in his order issued yesterday, asked the people to deposit the weapons to their respective village authorities’ offices.
Dangshawa also banned hunting, catching, killing and selling of the falcons, whose size is a little bit smaller than pigeon, with immediate effect.
Locally known as Akhuaipuina, the birds of prey arrive in Manipur, mostly in Zeliangrong-Naga dominated Tamenglong about 145 Km from Imphal, and parts of Nagaland during the first and second week of October from their breeding grounds in South-Eastern Siberia and Northern China, wildlife experts said.
The raptors, after roosting for a little more than a month, leave the state and fly towards Africa’s southern and eastern parts and again roost a short period before flying towards their breeding grounds.
Dangshawa’s order said hunting/killing/destruction of wildlife (including migratory birds Amur Flacon (Falco amurensis) in any way for food or possession or otherwise is a punishable offence under sections 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
It said the concerned village authorities should “keep the air guns deposited in their custody until the last flock leaves their roosting place or till 30th November 2024,” and the report of collection of the guns should be submitted to his office by September 30.
“Anyone found willfully violating these prohibitory orders is liable to face consequences as per the Law of the land,” cautioned the DM.
This followed a letter of Tamenglong’s Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kh Hitler Singh to Dangshawa , requesting the DM to support the forest apparatus in falcons’ protection .
Hitler said that Amur falcons are now given more protection under Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 2022 and included under its Schedule I, Part B.
Anyone found hunting of the falcons or possession its meat are now liable with more stringent penalty to be punished with imprisonment not be less than three year, but may extend to seven years. and also with fine not less than Rs 25,000 under the provisions of the Act, he added.
He continued that his office is planning to work along with scientists of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun for tagging satellite transmitters to a few falcons this time for further research and studies.
In 2018, a female falcon, which was tagged with the transmitter in Tamenglong , had arrived in Somalia after flying nonstop for five days and eight hours, covering 5,700 kms.
The first ever survey for population estimation of Amur falcons in the state conducted last year at Tamenglong’s Chiuluan forest area located near the banks of Barak river and found around 1.41,274 such migratory birds there.
