Nagaland: Protect endangered hornbill bird, appeals Wokha citizens

Dimapur, Sep. 11 (EMN): Following the sighting of an endangered hornbill bird recently, the Wokha Village Council (WVC) has appealed to the public of Wokha town and neighbouring villages surrounding Mt. Tiyi area to conserve the majestic bird.

The council cautioned that stern action along with a fine of INR 50,000 would be taken against anyone found shooting the rare bird.

The council has appreciated the department of Forest, Wokha division, for its effort and vision to rejuvenate Mt. Tiyi and protecting the flora and fauna there. It mentioned that, it along the Forest department, planted saplings of Rhododendron Arboreum (known as Supenthera in Lotha language) at Mt. Tiyi, the legendary mountain known as ‘Abode of departed souls’, on September 3 and the 4th.

The council, in a statement issued has thanked Zuthunglo Patton, District Forest Officer, Wokha division, for her dedication and passion in preserving and promoting the coexistence of other biodiversity.

Meanwhile, the council has informed all the nature lovers and mountain trekkers to preserve and protect the rhododendron flowers, which is on the verge of extinction due to reckless plucking and breaking of branches for flowers. The council has reaffirmed its earlier general resolution taken in 2010 “to preserve and protect flora and fauna” within Wokha village jurisdiction, especially the Mt. Tiyi reserved forest.

The council further warned that anyone found uprooting the newly planted rhododendron saplings and plucking or breaking the branches of the fast-vanishing rhododendron trees would be dealt with severely and impose a fine of INR 5000.