Tamenglong bans Amur falcon hunting and orders residents of 35 villages to deposit air guns by October 20.
IMPHAL — With Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), among the world’s longest-distance migratory raptors, beginning to arrive in Manipur in small batches, the Tamenglong district administration has imposed a total ban on hunting, catching, trapping, killing, injuring, possessing, transporting, selling or otherwise harming the migratory birds.
In an order, Tamenglong District Magistrate Dr. L Angshim Dangshawa directed residents of 35 identified roosting and neighbouring villages to deposit their air guns with their respective village authorities by October 20.
The deposited air guns will remain in safe custody until November 30 or until further orders, the order stated.
Issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the order aims to protect the birds during their annual roosting period.
Locally known as “Kahuaipuina” or “Akhuaipuina”, Amur falcons are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and are listed under Schedule IV of the Act.
Meanwhile, the Tamenglong Forest Division is planning a series of programmes to celebrate the arrival of the migratory birds and promote awareness and conservation throughout their stay in the district.
The initiatives will be organised in collaboration with the district administration, police, village authorities, schools, clubs, churches and civil society organisations.
The planned activities include a welcome cultural programme at Chiuluan village, an adventure safari for students to the roosting sites, an inter-club football tournament, a half-marathon, painting competitions for students, and various measures to strengthen the protection of the birds and raise public awareness.
Amur falcons generally arrive in several parts of Northeast India, including Tamenglong district, from the second week of October and are expected to remain at their roosting sites until the end of November.
In 2019, a five-member team from the Wildlife Institute of India, led by Dr. Suresh Kumar, radio-tagged five Amur falcons, including two males, at Puching village and other locations in Tamenglong district.
The initiative was carried out with support from the state forest department, district administration, Rainforest Club, Tamenglong, and local residents.
The radio-tagging programme in Manipur began in 2018 as part of efforts to conserve the species, track its long-distance migratory routes and study environmental patterns along the way. India is also a signatory to an international agreement on the conservation of migratory birds of prey.