Migratory Amur falcons reach Manipur

Don’t hunt them, State Environment Minister appeals to the people

October 23, 2021 12:31 am | Updated 12:31 am IST - Imphal

Amur falcons visit the State every year from breeding grounds in China and Russia

Amur falcons visit the State every year from breeding grounds in China and Russia

With the arrival of the migratory Amur falcons to Tamenglong district of Manipur for the annual stopover, State Forest and Environment Minister Awangbow Newmai has appealed to the people not to hunt the seasonal visitors.

These falcons visit the district every year from breeding grounds in China and Russia before beginning their onward voyage to Africa for the winter — a journey of more than 30,000 km.

Officials who have been tracking the travel routes of these birds through satellite tagging said one Amur falcon had reached the district for the third year in a row.

Mr. Newmai, in a statement, warned that the hunting of the bird was punishable under the Manipur Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and could lead to three years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹25,000

The Minister launched a poster campaign on Thursday to create awareness among the people. Officials of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, were also present.

Less than 300 Sangai

In another development, officials said the population of the brow-antlered deer (Sangai) found only in Manipur stood at fewer than 300 in its natural habitat, the 40 sq km Keibul Lamjao National park in Bishnupur district.

However, there was a silver lining, as officials said more and more people, including hunters, were coming forward to protect the deer and the migratory birds.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.