[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or a community that is hard to do without a non-vegetarian menu, volunteering themselves to protect the easy meat, the Amur Falcons, is very much encouraging.
Nagas in general are meat lovers and a meal without a non-vegetarian item would mean too much for them. But, preparing to welcome and protect the winged guests, the Amur Falcons, in Nagaland by the Naga villagers especially in Wokha district during this season speaks volumes.
The meat of Amur Falcon is considered a rare delicacy by the Nagas. But for a benign cause (ecological balance) the Naga villagers are ready to skip the food they cherish so much. Instead, the villagers are pulling up their loins to protect the birds.
In two weeks’ time, the migratory birds numbering around four lakhs from Siberia, Mongolia, Northern China and Japan are expected to arrive in Wokha district and other parts of the region. Large number of Amur Falcons also passes through Senapati and Tamenglong districts of Manipur. For generations, the Naga villagers hunt these birds during the autumn for meat. Some villagers usually make fat money by selling the smoked birds. Catapults and traps are generally used as means to capture them.
Of late, things have changed for good. The change can be best described as the case of “perpetrators protecting their prey”, kudos to activists, NGOs, the media and the State Government of Nagaland.Under the aegis of Nagaland Government, on the first of this month the villagers of Pangti and villages in its vicinity in Wokha district had organised a symbolic event formally welcoming the winged guests sponsored by the Departments of Forests, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife Nagaland in collaboration with the Wokha district administration and Wildlife Trust of India (WLTI). In the programme, Nagaland Forest minister Dr. Nicky Kire had termed Nagaland as the ‘Falcon Capital of the World.’ Interestingly, an organisation christened as the Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union (AFRAU) of Pangti Village, is spending hectic time formulating measures to protect the migratory birds. AFRAU has pledged to co-operate with the Forest Department in protecting the falcons. Though the degree of measures to protect the Amur Falcons may be lower, measures are also being taken up in other parts including Tamenglong and Senapati districts of Manipur. The response from the public to the awareness campaign to protect the birds is overwhelming.
Least to say, following this encouraging development, we saw that if channelized well the outlook of the Nagas can be as broad as those peoples in the developed worlds.
Few years ago, it was beyond ones imagination to campaign against hunting the Amur Falcons in Nagaland. But for the proper and concerted awareness campaigns by activists, NGOs, the media and the government, today the Nagas have realized the importance of maintaining ecological balance.
From the Amur Falcon story we realized that any block in the Nagas’ mindset can be done away should the channelizing agencies have the zeal to do so.
