[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he great migration of the Amur Falcon from Mangolia (spend the summer) to South Africa (spend the winter) and back home (Mangolia). One of the most mysterious passage migrants of India .This falcon breeds in Northern China and South eastern Siberia and spends all summer there. It undertakes a migration journey from this region all the way to Southern Africa where they spend the winter and then undertake the journey back home .This raptor is not among the endangered list.
Bernd Meyburg and his team has presented the first ever satellite tracking data for Amur Falcons. The information gathered on 7 tracked Amur falcons he plotted the migration route from South Africa to Mangolia only. This is first time in the world the entire migration route of the satellite tagged Amur Falcons of Nagaland is satellite tracked, from Nagaland to South Africa and from South Africa to Mangolia and to Nagaland, which gives clear scientific data of entire migration route of the Amur Falcons. M.Lokeswara Rao Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force informed” This is historical day to all scientific communities, the Naga and Pangti have reached back Nagaland after spending almost one year from 7th Nov 2014 when it was satellite tagged at Doyang(Wokha)Nagaland and reached back Doyang(Wokha) Nagaland on 29.10.2014 after making great migration of fling 22000KM from Nagaland to South Africa and from south Africa to Mangolia and to Nagaland. It has taken conservation message from Nagaland and spread the message all over the world reached back Nagaland (from Nagaland with Love). The historic migration of the complete route is plotted with this satellite tagging This is proud movement to the people of the Nagaland. The satellite tagging of the three Amur Falcon has put Nagaland in World map. People once hunters have helped in tagging of the birds. Today Doyang once a silent area became buzz with activities. The people of Doyang are tasting the fruits of conservation”.November 7, 2013 is the historic day and movement to the people of Nagaland, local communities have protected Amur Falcon which is biggest conservation movement shown to the world and satellite tagging of Amur Falcon was done and international scientists declared Doyang is one of the biggest congregation nearly one million Amur falcon roosted here. They declared Nagaland is Falcon capital of the world. On 7th November 2013 three Amur Falcon birds were satellite tagged and released. The birds are names as Naga, Wokha and Pangti. The Naga bird has Colour Ring Number KAM, Ring Number C56801, which is male, Wokha bird, has Colour Ring Number KCM, Ring Number C56802, which is female, and Pangti bird has Colour Ring Number KFM, Ring Number C56803, which is female. These three birds were fitted with satellite tag with antenna and with solar panel on the back of the bird. The satellite tag weighs only 5grams. Ministry of Environment and Forests, The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Convention on Migratory Species Office - Abu Dhabi • United Nations Environment Programme, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Nagaland Forest Department has taken up Joint scientific mission to satellite tag Amur Falcons from Nagaland. The international team of ornithologists counted over 1 million Amur Falcons entering a night roost near Wokha in Nagaland. Nick Williams, Head of the Coordinating Unit of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU) said, ‘This is by far the largest and most spectacular roost of any species of falcon ever seen anywhere in the world, it represents a unique and irreplaceable part of the rich biodiversity of Nagaland’. He declared Nagaland as Falcon capital of the world. Naga satellite tagged bird is released by M. Lokeswara Rao, PCCF and HOFF, PAngt was released by Pangti village communities, Wokha is relwased by Nick WilliamsCMS and Wildlife Institute of India.
Head of the Coordinating Unit of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU)has sent a message to the Forest Department by email on the occasion of anniversary of Naga and Pangti reaching back Nagaland “To watch the unfolding travels of the satellite tagged falcons has been amazing. The routes they have chosen have illuminated in detail for the first time the incredible journey that they make annually, including such spectacular feats as crossings over the Arabian Sea. It is wonderful to see both Naga and Pangi heading back ‘home’ towards the Falcon Capital of the World. They certainly appear to be aiming to be close-by for the anniversary of the day(7th November) on which we tagged them.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank you, all those and many more for working tirelessly and collaboratively to deliver one of the greatest conservation successes of recent times. The courageous and selfless decision by the villagers of Pangi to cease the harvest is something that must never be forgotten. We must all continue to strive to ensure that alternative sources of income are generated and maintained to ensure Nagaland will always welcome the Amur Falcons in the future”
What route they have taken to reach South Africa back to Magnolia and reached back to Nagaland.
Naga:Male bird after releasing on 7th November 2013 flew over Senapati Churachandpur of Manipur Aizwal of Mizoram, enter Bangladesh and enter Bay of Bengal , after flying over Bay of Bengal enter Andhra Pradesh near Ongole fly over Andhra Passing through Adoni enter Karnataka near Bellary, flying over Hubli of Karnataka and enter Goa and from they flew over Arabian sea and reached the Coast of Somalia and flied over Mogadishu capital of Somalia and now entered Kenya flying near Deddab of Kenya on 20.November 2013, it took thirteen days to fly from Doyang, Nagaland to Kenya. Naga spent staying Tsavo East National Park in Kenya for some time entered Tanzania and Zimbabwe and entered Botswana and finally entered South Africa.
After reaching South Africa the Naga has taken different route during back journey flying over Somalia Crossing Arabian sea Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Meghalaya, Manipur , entered Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, China now reached inner Mangolia.spent some time in Magnolia and started journey towards Nagaland, crossing Vietnam, Laos, Burma reached Nagaland Doyang as on 29.10.2014.
Pangti Female Bird after releasing on the 7th of November 2013 flew over Silchar Assam Agartala of Tripura enter Bangladesh and fly over Sundarbans of West Bengal enter Bay of Bengal , after flying over Bay of Bengal enter Andhra Pradesh near Vizayanagaram fly over Andhra Passing through Warangal enter Karnataka near Bidar , enter Maharashtra near Solapur flying over satara of Maharashtra and enter Arabian sea near Dapol, flew over Arabian sea and reached the Coast of Somali and flied over Meghadishu capital of Somalia and now entered Kenya flying near Deddab of Kenya on 20.November 2013, it took thirteen days to fly from Doyang, Nagaland to Kenya. Pangti spent staying Tsavo East National Park in Kenya for some time and flew Tanzania , Zambia and Botswana entered South Africa and spending in South Eastern part of South Africa. After reaching South Africa the Naga has taken different route during back journey flying over Somalia Crossing Arabian sea Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Meghalaya, Manipur , entered Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, China now reached inner Mangolia.spent some time in Mangolia and started journey towards Nagaland, crossing Vietnam, Laos, Burma reached Nagaland Doyang as on 29.10.2014.Pangti has almost the same route as Naga.
Wokha female is released on the 7th of November 2013 spent near Doyang upto the 9th of November, afterwards fly over silchar Aizwal of Mizoram enter Bangladesh near Chittogang fly over Bay of Bengal, entered Andhra Pradesh near Srikakulam fly over Vishakapatnam Khammam, Nalgonda and Mahboob Nager, Entered Karnataka near Raichur fly over Bagalkot Belgaum and entered Arabian sea near Panjim Goa, flew over Arabian Sea reached Somalia through gulf of Aden it is flying near Ceergaabo Somalia. It took thirteen days to fly from Doyang, Nagaland to Somalia. Wokha flew Kenya and catch Naga and Pangti which were resting there some time. Wokha flew Tanzania and Zimbabwe and entered South Africa and spending in South Eastern part of South Africa quite some time as on 9th January 2014.
Wokha is still in South Africa, as per the website the bird is inactive, there may be two possibilities, the bird might have died, there are no movement of bird and the satellite tag of the bird might have come out of bird and fallen on the ground and bird might be still alive flying without satellite tag
Like we have natural heritage of Tigers and Rhinos, Now we have natural heritage of Amur Falcons.
