Dimapur, October 26 (MExN): Nagaland State guest, the Amur Falcons (Falcon Amurenisis), have started arriving at the roosting site at Ntu-Barak valley in Nagaland. The birds, which undertake one of the longest migrations, were seen in thousands on October 25 at the roosting site of the valley and are expected to arrive in multitudes in the coming days. Beside the Ntu-Barak valley, the Amur Falcons also roost at Doyang areas, Wokha district, Niuland area, Dimapur district and Yaongyimchen in Longleng district.
Mention may be made here that last year a total of five Satellite tracking Solar-powered Amur Falcon were tagged and released from Nagaland, namely Amur Falcon Hakhizhe, Amur Falcon Intangki, Amur Falcon Longleng, Amur Falcon Eninum and Amur Falcon Phom.
Caroline K. Angami, IFS, Wildlife Warden, Dimapur in a press release informed that Amur Falcon is protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and that trapping or killing of the birds is a Criminal Offence punishable with 3 years rigorous imprisonment or fine of Rs.25,000/- (twenty-five thousand only) or both with fine and imprisonment. Also reminder may be made here that as per Notification No. CSO/1/GEN/2013, dated 12th of June 2013 and No.DRD/NR/P-1/2002, dated Kohima, June 18, 2013, the villages indulging in Wildlife crime will be penalised by stopping their Grant-in-Aids allocations and the funds will be utilized for environmental protection activities by the government.
Wildlife Warden, Dimapur has also appealed to all not to harm or kill but to welcome “our state guest and make their stay pleasant and provide safe passage to the bird which has put Nagaland on a Global map and has brought accolades to the state both nationally and internationally as conservationists.”
The tagged falcons
The first satellite tracking of Amur Falcons from Nagaland was initiated in 2013. This was informed in an advertisement by I Panger Jamir, PCCF & Head of Forest Force, Kohima. Three Amur Falcons in “good feather condition, and appearing to be in good health were selected for the satellite tagging namely, Naga, Wokha and Pangti.”
It was also informed that all the birds were fitted with state-of-the-art five gram Solar-Powered PTT (Microwave Telemetry Inc.), like a backpack using a specially made Teflon harness, and released. All the birds were ringed with a BNHS metal ring on the left leg and a colour-coded plastic ring on the right. Presently Naga, Wokha and Pangti are deactivated after completing second and third cycle covering more than 60,000 km.
In October-November 2016, five other Amur Falcons were tagged with Satellite Tracking solar-powered PTT and released from Nagaland. They were Hakhizhe from Niuland, Intangki from Intangki National Park, Longleng and Phom from Longleng and Eninum from Pangti roosting areas. Of these, four birds’ Satellite Tracking devices were deactivated.
Presently the lone tagged bird – Longleng – is coming back from Amurland (Mongolia) and now flying over Hunan Province, China. The authorities expect it to reach Nagaland within a week.
