Village volunteers to protect Amur Falcons in Manipur's Naga district

The role of "village volunteers," both in Meitei and Kuki dominated areas in Manipur, might have drawn a flak over their role in the violence since May. 

But the Zeliangrong Naga-dominated Tamenglong district in Manipur are gearing up to engage its village volunteers for a noble cause--the protection of the Amur Falcons, world's longest travelling migratory birds, which stops during every Autumn during their 22,000km journey between Eastern Asia (China) to South Africa.   

Forest officials in Tamenglong said village volunteers, who act as disciplined youths for protection and welfare in many tribal societies, would soon be engaged as part of efforts to prevent hunting of the Amur Falcons. 

"As part of our ensuing programme to safeguard Amur falcons, we will soon engage village volunteers for carrying out patrolling along with our own forest guards at the roosting sites to thwart any attempt to kill the birds,” divisional forest officer (Tamenglong) Amandeep said.

A study by the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WWI) earlier said that almost the entire Amur falcon population stops only in the Northeast India (in parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Meghalaya) between October and mid-November to "refuel" and build up fat reserves by eating the swarm of termites in the region following monsoon rains.

The state governments are trying to project the Amur Falcons as a tourist attraction and are taking measures to prevent hunting.

Tamenglong will organise Amur falcon dance festival as part of efforts to increase awareness about protection of the migratory birds. 

"This time, we are planning to tag satellite-transmitters on two healthy birds to study their migratory routes and for this purpose we have contacted scientists of Wildlife Institute of India (WII),” he said.

Forest officials in Tamenglong as well as Rainforest Club Tamenglong (RCT), a local animal lovers’ unit have lined up a series of programmes to spread awareness among the villages to protect and show their love to the winged guest during their stay. RCT secretary, Ramhiamang Gonmei said that they would reach out to the youths including college and school students with the awareness campaign.

"Our members and volunteers are all ready to launch the awareness programme to safeguard the falcons to villages, college and schools,” he said, adding that they have selected the volunteers to join hands with forest guards to kick off patrolling at the roosting sites.

After staying for a little more than a month, the falcons, locally known as Akhuaipuina, depart the state and fly towards Southern and Eastern parts of Africa and roost a short time before moving towards their breeding grounds in South Africa.