Ahead of Amur falcons’ roosting season, Manipur bans hunting

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Oct. 6 (EMN): A district authority in Manipur has announced total ban on hunting and selling of migratory bird Amur falcons (Falcon amurensis) with immediate effect.

Deputy Commissioner Armstrong Pame of Tamenglong district in an order on Friday, said that the prohibitive order has been issued as the migratory bird usually arrive in many parts of Northeast India including Tamenglong district from October first week and is likely to roost till the end of November.

The DC also directed all the arm holders to deposit their air guns to the concerned village authorities “until the last flock leave their roosting or till November 30, 2019.”

The order said,“…this period is considered crucial in the life cycle of Amur falcons, I, the undersigned District Magistrate, Tamenglong hereby orders ban on all the air guns in the district and they should be deposited with the respective village authorities office.”

A report of collection of air guns be submitted to Deputy Commissioner’s office by October 25, the order stated.

Informing that hunting of wildlife in any way for food or possession or otherwise is punishable under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the administration has cautioned “if anyone found violating the orders is liable to face consequences as per law of the land.”

Meanwhile, sources from Tamenglong town claimed that the falcons which spend their summers at their breeding grounds in southeast Russia and northeast China, have started to arrive at hill district bordering Assam’s Cachar district on Saturday.

These pigeon-sized birds migrate to their wintering grounds in South Africa, from where they start their return journey in April-May through Afghanistan and East Asia, undertaking a yearly journey of about 20,000 km.

the migratory bird arrive in large numbers during October in Nagaland and Manipur besides a few places in northeast India. They leave the region in November after having enough food for their non-stop flight to Africa where they spend their winters.

Interestingly, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists in collaboration with Manipur Forest Department are planning to tag five Amur Falcons with satellite radio transmitters this month after the December incident of losing contact with a satellite-tagged female Amur Falcon which was last located in Zambia.

Two falcons-Tamenglong, a female falcon and Manipur, a male falcon, were satellite radio tagged on November 4, 2018, as part of one of the projects to study the flight route of these long-distance migratory birds and environmental patterns along the route.