Ahead of waterbird census, motivation camp inaugurated in Imphal

NINGTHOUKHONG — A waterbird motivation camp was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Mangolnganbi College campus, 35 kilometres south of Imphal, in preparation for the Loktak Ramsar 2024 Waterbird Census.

Prominent environmentalist Dr. Kh. Shamungou, director of the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change Dr. T Brajakumar, SE of Loktak Development Authority (LDA) Ng Sanajaoba, avian expert and former principal of Kumbi College, K Jugeshwor, assistant conservator of Forest N Sarat, and principal of Mangolnganbi College RK Birjit, attended the inauguration function.

The waterbird census is an annual citizen science programme held during the winter months as part of Wetland International’s Asian Waterbird Census (AWC). The AWC was initiated in India in 1987.

This time, the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) in Manipur and the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) will conduct and coordinate the event concurrently, in collaboration with 14 local bodies, including Wildlife Explorers Manipur.

IBCN has coordinated the Loktak waterbird census for the past 15 years as part of the Asian waterbird count organised by Mumbai’s Bombay Natural History Society, Birdlife International, and Wetland International.

On January 20, the bird census will be conducted at 50 different counting sites throughout Loktak and its surrounding wetlands.

A rare avian visitor, the Baikal Teal (Sibirionetta formosa), locally known as “Surit-man” in Manipuri (Meiteilon), was sighted and photographed in Manipur’s Lamphelpat wetland on January 10 this year. The Baikal Teal breeds in Eastern Russia and in East Asia. This sighting marks a significant event, as the last recorded observation in Manipur occurred 109 years ago.

Some rare migratory waterbirds, such as common and ruddy shelduck, which breed in the Euro-Siberian region and central Asia, were spotted in the Yaralpat wetland in Imphal East district last February.