Manipur imposes ban on hunting of Amur Falcons in Tamenglong
Air guns have been prohibited until November 30 as efforts to conserve the globally migrating raptors, which journey from Siberia to Africa
Migratory raptor, Amur falcon (Photo: AT)
Imphal, Oct 15: In view of the arrival of Amur falcons, the Tamenglong district administration in Manipur has imposed a ban on the killing and sale of these migratory birds during their roosting period there.
District Magistrate Dr L Angshim Dangshawa on Tuesday ordered a ban on hunting and catching of Amur falcons by invoking relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
The District Magistrate also ordered a ban on the use of air guns in the district, asking all in possession of these weapons to deposit them to the village authorities concerned till the departure of the last flock of the roosting Amur falcons or till November 30.
“Any person found wilfully violating these prohibitory orders shall face action under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and other relevant laws in force,” the DC said.
The Tamenglong district administration has clamped the ban on the request of the Tamenglong Divisional Forest Division.
The Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), known as ‘Akhuaipuina’ in Rongmei dialect, have already arrived at Guangram village in the district.
“This year too, the Forest Department, Manipur, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, is going to tag three more Amur falcons with satellite transmitters to continue the ongoing research works,” stated Divisional Forest Officer Kh Hitler Singh of Tamenglong Forest Division. The radio-tagging programme of Amur falcons started in the State in 2018 as part of an initiative to conserve wildlife and study the route of these longest-travelling raptors.
These pigeon-sized birds usually arrive in Manipur, mostly in Tamenglong and neighbouring Nagaland’s Wokha area, mostly in October from their breeding grounds in south-eastern Siberia and northern China, to undertake a yearly journey covering up to 22,000 km. They leave the North East region of India in November after having enough food for their non-stop flight to Africa, where they spend their winters.
By Correspondent