Unusual shift in roosting site of Amur Falcon observed

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Nov. 2 (EMN): Pangti village, which earned Nagaland the moniker “Falcon capital of the world”, is experiencing an unusual shift in the migratory birds’ roosting site and a considerable decrease in the number of the bird at its actual stopover for the last two years.    

Locals are of the view that agricultural activities at Tzuza Eryu (actual roosting site) could be one of the chief reasons for the divergence of the Amur Falcon. Climate Change, drought-like situation in the region, less availability of feed-termites, and activities of visitors to some extent, have led to the shift and decrease in the number of birds.      

Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union (AFRAU) President P Thungchumo Shidio told journalists that the number of migratory birds is “becoming lesser and lesser” this year.

The migratory birds have been roosting in other areas instead of the actual site since last year. They have started roosting between Pangti and Aree village boundary, about 4 km from Tzuza Eryu (located above Doyang reservoir). The birds would roost at the newfound area and return to its actual roosting site the first week of November, he informed.

He observed that cultivation at the site could be the main reason for the change in roosting site. Three years ago, landowners at Tzuza Eryu started cutting down trees for cultivation purposes. This in turn has stopped the birds from coming to the actual roosting site, he said.

Landowners started agricultural activities because the government has not been giving any assistance. “They started cultivating the land as preserving and conserving the Amur falcons will not fill our stomach”, he observed.

The AFRAU, which started in 2013, has been conserving the birds till now. But it appears as though the ‘government is not concerned about us’; he said while urging the authorities to look into the matter.  

Educator at Pangti Eco Club of Nagaland Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Lijon Ngullie, observed that there were a lot of termites (falcons feed) before. But this year, there are fewer termites due to deficient rainfall, which could also be a possible reason for birds not coming to the roosting site. Further, landowners are now cultivating over 10 acres of land at the roosting site, contributing to the decrease of the falcons, he added.

The villagers, to make way for the birds to roost, had not cultivated the forest until recently. Three years back, as a sign of protest against the government’s failure to keep up their commitments, the landowners in the roosting area started cutting down trees for cultivation. Presently, over 10 acres of land have been used for cultivation.

The commitments of the government included road construction, tourists resort, guest house and others. The failure to fulfil these commitments has agitated the farmers and resorted to cultivating the land in order to earn their livelihood, he said.

In 2019, the central government has sanctioned more than INR 22 crores meant for the construction of roads from the District headquarters (Wokha) to the roosting site in Pangti. But the project was shifted to other areas, he alleged.

A 45-year-old hunter-turned-protector of majestic raptors, Zimomo observed that the birds are decreasing in numbers since their first arrival at Pangti in the 2000s.

Recounting his days as a hunter, he said that he used to trap the birds with a fish net for consumption as well as for sale. In a day, he could trap about 400 birds and the income from selling was said to be “high”. ‘That had been going on for almost 11 years’, he said.

But with the intervention from conservationists, NGOs and the government in 2013, he gave up hunting and took up fishing. 

‘Now, hunting is completely banned in the area’, he said.

When intervention first started, the government provided villagers with chicken as an alternative to stop hunting.

‘So we thought developmental activities in the area will follow after that. But there is no infrastructural development from the government so far. And villagers are running out of patience to conserve the bird with nothing in return’, he added. 

Village Council Chairman of Pangti, R Jami, said that the village is the capital of Amur Falcon but there is no development. He urged the government to bring about developmental activities, particularly road. 

He further informed that this year, the birds arrived late and the numbers have dwindled.

‘Normally, the birds used to arrive by the first week of October but this year it arrived in the second week’, he shared. 

He appealed to the citizens to co-operate with the villagers in conserving the bird.

The Amur falcons roost in Nagaland every year from October to November while on their migratory journey from Siberia en route to South Africa covering 22,000km in a year. 

A local visitor, Dr. Zubonthung Humtsoe, who is based in Wokha, shared that it was his first visit at the roosting site. He expected to see the birds but ‘could not get to see much’. He however thought the place was worth visiting. 

Suman Choudhary, from Haryana, who is currently working in Kohima, said she had a ‘great experience’ with the place being close to nature. She was of the opinion that Nagaland is still unexplored in many ways.

Another visitor from Delhi, Shlok Singh, shared that the road condition is ‘very bad’ and needs improvement. ‘The place needs to be more accessible with more facilities and a proper place to sleep’, he opined.