Amur Falcons start arriving in Nagaland

Kohima: Migratory Amur Falcons have started arriving at Pangti Village in Wokha District of Nagaland.

A small flock of about 100 falcons flew over the Pangti Baptist Church, highest point in the Sungro range under Wokha district, Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust managing trustee Bano Haralu and secretary Rokohebi Kuotsu has said.

The birds were later seen flying over Doyang Reservoir - their stopover for the next six weeks before they resume their journey towards Southern Africa, NWBCT said.

All villages in the range are fully geared to ensure safe passage of the falcons as they did last year, NWBCT said, adding the state government has assisted the local community to erect watchtowers and rest sheds for visitors coming in to see the spectacle of migrating Amur Falcons.

NWBCT said the community has created a low impact ecotourism model through basic home stays to take care of the guests.

In 2012, mass trapping and capture of migrating Amur falcons in Nagaland was reported in the media and a campaign was launched to prevent their killing.

The state managed to script a success story in conserving the migratory birds with the cooperation of locals, Forest department and NGOs. The villagers at Doyang have also refrained from killing the birds.