Dimapur, October 9 (MExN): The people of Wokha has been recognized globally for the efforts in conserving the Amur Falcons, said Zuthunglo Patton IFS, DFO Wokha and encouraged everyone to continue the good job with the same spirit. She was speaking at an event organised as a part Wokha Wildlife Week celebration on October 7.
Stressing that the Wokha district is blessed with important wildlife such as the Amur Falcons, elephants as well as the recent rediscovery of Extinct-in-wild turtle species-the Black Softshell Turtle, Patton requested the participants to make a pledge not to pick up catapult to harm wildlife but to spread the message of conservation.
In a novel initiative, a bird watching and nature walk sessions conducted for school students in the wee hours of October 7 to mark the Wildlife Week celebration. The higher secondary students of Don Bosco School participated in the event.
The sessions were incorporated into the programme with an aim to provide the students a firsthand experience, to promote as well as to garner the interest of the young minds to the hobby of bird watching and thereby participate in conservation.
Organized jointly by the Wokha Forest Division and Doyang Plantation Division, the session started at 6AM at Vankosung. The early mornings and evenings are the most active period for birds.
The students sighted a good number of birds with the likes of Barbet, Pied Bushchat, Stonechat, Leaf Warblers and Flycatchers among others, informed Lansothung Lotha Range Forest Officer Doyang in a press note.
They were also informed on various aspects ranging from important fruit trees for wildlife to the different types of forests and types of habitat for birds and animals and the need for conservation besides the methods to sight and identify birds and the use of field guide books, it said.
The students were led by Prabhat Kumar, IFS, DFO Doyang, Ketholetuo Solo from Forestry Graduates Association of Nagaland (FGAN) and the RFO Doyang.
The DFO Doyang emphasized that the main idea behind the bird watching cum nature walk is to give the students a different line of thinking towards birds, animals and forests. He added that they should promote the idea of conserving nature by encouraging relatives and friends not to support hunting.
Later, a wildlife quiz competition was held on the forest office premises for the high school students from different schools.Team Elephant from Don Bosco School comprising of Carolyn Odyuo, Yanchumaro Kikon and Khonzani Ovung emerged as the champions. Team Hornbill comprising of Ethunbeni, Nzanrhoni and Tsuktinungla and Team Hoolock Gibbon comprising team members Vungthungo, Yilobemo and Mahesh took second and third place respectively, with both teams representing Libemo Memorial School.
The students also briefly shared their experiences of the morning session and lauded the department for the opportunity, the press note informed.
At the end of the program, the documentary “The Hunt” narrated by acclaimed wildlife commentator Sir David Attenborough was screened.
The film includes the story of the extremely tough journey of the migratory Amur Falcons at Doyang, Wokha, which covers an astonishing distance of about 22,000 km every year for their survival, it added.
