EMN
Dimapur, April 28
One of the three geo-tagged Amur Falcons that scientists and conservationists are studying has disappeared from the tracking system’s visuals. Pangti, one of the three, has gone off-signal while the second bird, Naga, is still active.
The establishment of the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forest offered updates about the status of the two small aerial predators that left the state after a stopover in their cross-continental migration. The bird ‘Pangti’ was named after Pangti village in Wokha district; ‘Naga’ named after the Naga people; ‘Wokha’ was named after the district, are the totems of conservation efforts by the state to protect the migratory birds.
There are no explanations about the reasons the signals of said bird went offline.
“Satellite tagged Amur falcon is inactive; no signals have been received from the satellite tag of Pangti. Pangti completed two cycles covering a distance of 40000 KM. Naga is about to complete third cycle about to cover a distance of 60000 KM. Wokha is inactive from the beginning. At present Naga is flying over Gujarat,” updates from the Forest establishment said on Saturday.
Naga, a male, has the color ring number KAM and ring number C56801; Wokha, a female, has the color ring number KCM and ring number C56802; Pangti, also a female, has the color ring number KFM and ring number C56803.
The three birds were fitted with geo-tags with antenna and solar panels on the back of the birds. The satellite-tracking device weighs only 5 grams.
The birds were released from Doyang in Wokha district two years ago before they left for South Africa after crossing a difficult journey over the Arabian Sea.
Amur falcons spend winter in South Africa. After spending three months in South Africa the birds start back journey to their breeding sites in Mongolia.