Despite efforts from conservationists and the forest department of Manipur, hunting, and smuggling of wildlife continue in Tamenglong district.
According to a media report, Tamenglong is home to several species of animals, including Chinese Pangolins, Clouded Leopards, Hoolock Gibbons, Serows among others.
As per the report published by Conservation of India (CI), a portal that aims to facilitate wildlife and nature conservation by providing reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively said rampant illegal hunting continues in the villages of the region.
According to the report, the rampant illegal hunting has led to a rapid decline in biodiversity in the region.
It has been claimed that birds and animals including freshwater turtles are mercilessly hunted down to be sold in the illegal wildlife trade.
In the local markets, meats of birds, pangolin, civet, porcupine, squirrel, python, deer and turtle are allegedly sold for human consumption in the local markets.
It has been claimed that Tamenglong seems to be a major wildlife trafficking hub for pangolins and its scales.
To fight against the rampant hunting in the area and conserving the biodiversity of Tamenglong in a mission mode, conservationists Galina and Daniel Macwan formed Tamenglong Animals Home (TAH), a charitable trust in 2017, the report said.
Due to the initiatives taken by several NGOs along with the forest department, hunting, and illegal wildlife trade have been on the decline in recent years, the report claimed.
It may be mentioned that the district authority in Manipur’s Tamenglong ordered an immediate ban on all air guns and directed residents to deposit them to the village authorities to give safe passage to Amur falcons (Falcon amurensis) during their migration period in the district in October last year.