Imphal: In a remarkable feat, the population of Amur falcons roosting in Chiuluan village of Manipur’s Tamenglong district has been estimated to be a staggering 1.41,274.
This staggering figure emerged from the first-ever survey for population estimation of Amur falcons in the state, conducted by 11 members of Wildlife Explorers Manipur (WEM) using drones, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and telephoto cameras.
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The census exercise, carried out on Friday, was supported by volunteers of Rainforest Club Tamenglong (RCT) and staff of Divisional Forest Office (Tamenglong).
The other five roosting sites in the Zeliangrong-Naga dominated district are Bhalok, Matung, Puching, Punglam, and Duigailong.
WEM president Khoyumthem Brajesh Kumar, who announced the estimated census report on the occasion of the 8th Amur Falcon festival at Tamenglong district headquarters on Saturday, highlighted the importance of the survey.
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He stated that the primary objectives of the survey were to estimate the number of Amur falcons roosting in the Chiuluan village area and to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive census of Amur falcon populations in the district in the future.
As has been observed in previous years, Amur falcons, locally known as Akhoipuina or Kahoipuina in the Rongmei dialect, arrived in Manipur, primarily in Tamenglong and neighboring Nagaland, in mid-October from their breeding grounds in Southeast Siberia and Northern China.
After roosting for about a month, these incredible birds will embark on a remarkable journey towards the Southern and Eastern parts of Africa, where they will congregate for a short period before returning to their breeding grounds.
Divisional forest officer (Tamenglong) Amandeep, the driving force behind the falcons’ population survey, expressed his satisfaction with the successful execution of the exercise and revealed plans to extend it to other roosting sites in the district next year.
He further informed about the intention to tag two Amur falcons in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to gain deeper insights into their migratory patterns.