Conservation efforts in Nagaland, in recent years, through government, individual as well as active community participation, have gained momentum in recent years. Success stories are intermittent.
One such success story is the protection of Amur Falcons, scripted through collective efforts of many stakeholders, including the Pangti villagers, who earned the ‘global notoriety’ for hunting the raptors, but were later feted globally as ardent conservationists providing a safe haven to them. Within a decade, the longest travelling migratory birds had a protected abode where they could undertake their annual sojourn.
While all those involved in conservation efforts deserved utmost compliment for their exemplary works, the Falcons inherently had something to their advantage – numbers and concentration. Mostly tending to flock together, the Falcons roosting sites are a visual delight and its sheer numbers overwhelming to any visitors. Narratives of solo hunter getting lost or dazed in such roosting sites were abound.
The Falcons, as a result, were widely visible and notoriously hunted at the same time. Consequently, it created familiarity and the conservation efforts, gained momentum, with wide awareness.
Other species are less fortunate, so to speak - fewer in numbers but more scattered. The recent identification of five species of birds found in Nagaland as ‘High Conservation Concern’ by the ‘State of India’s Birds 2020’ report is a case in point.
The five species are Naga Wren Babbler, Moustached Laughingthrush, Dark-rumped Swift, Brown-capped Laughingthrush, and State’s bird Blyth’s Tragopan. Out of the five, Naga Wren Babbler is listed as ‘Near Threatened,’ while Dark-rumped Swift and Blyth’s Tragopan are categorised as “Vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List status. The other two are listed under “Least Concern.”
The IUCN Red List, however, was last assessed on October 1, 2016 and the latest categorisation in ‘State of India’s Birds’ report under ‘High Conservation Concern,’ make sense and requires urgent policy intervention.
The report was based on over 10 million observations contributed by 15,000 birdwatchers to platform eBird. The data thereafter were curated by over 140 volunteer editors based on three indices – two based on change in abundance: Long-term Trend (over 25+ years) and Current Annual Trend (over the past 5 years); and the third on the measure of Distribution Range Size.
The Naga Wren Babbler was further listed under ‘Neglected Species in Focus’ – referring to a “lesser-known species - typically small, and with restricted distribution -that call for greater research and conservation attention.”
Designated as endemic to the Naga Hills and adjoining Manipur, the report informed that only “known from a few locations, the species may be threatened in most of its small range due to habitat loss.” According to the IUCN Red List assessment, the population of this species is declining, with the current population estimate of 2,500-9,999 individuals.
A rare species in India inhabiting subtropical and temperate forests in North-east India mainly in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland, the threat to Blyth’s Tragopan’s persistence came, with similar population, from habitat disturbance due to deforestation and hunting for meat and feather, according to a BirdLife International. Dark-rumped Swift was estimated to be around 250-700 individuals, though the population of this species has remained stable.
According to the ICUN assessment, out of the five species, while there were some conservation efforts for Blyth Tragopan and Moustached Laughingthrush including ‘In-place research and monitoring’ as well as ex-situ conservation, there were none for the rest. All five species have not been subjected to any recent “education and awareness programmes.”
Nagaland has shown in the case of Amur Falcons that its conservation efforts could debunk any stereotyping and existing bias. Such an effort can also be accorded to other species by updating on conservation priorities as suggested by the report. To this end, individual as well as researchers efforts must be actively aided by the state apparatus while conservation efforts on High Concern species should be adequately funded.
It is imperative to treat other species of birds in ‘same feathers’ with Amur Falcons in conservation efforts. They need equal if not more and urgent attention.
