No Amur Falcon hunted in Nagaland this year

No Amur falcons have been hunted since their arrival at the roosting site at Doyang Reservoir in Nagaland over a month ago thanks to the efforts of a group of hunters-turned-protectors, a well-known wildlife NGO said.

This is remarkable considering last year tens of thousands of falcons fell prey to hunters, turned protectors of the birds of prey, Wildlife Trust of India sources said.

The conservation initiatives are being implemented jointly by Amur Falcon Protection Sqaud (AFPS), the group of hunters who have now turned protectors of this bird of prey, another NGO Natural Nagas, local communities and Nagaland forest department besides WTI.

The creation of AFPS assisted the forest department and the village councils to ensure effective enforcement of an agreement which was arrived at in August this year by the councils of villages around the reservoirs, Natural Nagas and WTI.

In the agreement, the councils had declared that hunting of Amur Falcons was illegal in the area and imposed a fine of Rs 5000 on offenders, WTI regional head Sunil Kyarong said.

The intiatives include daily patrolling by the forest department staff and AFPS along Doyang reservoir, the sources said.

"Nagaland is now a safe haven for Amur Falcons ... This year too millions of these falcons have come to Doyang roosting area and we have taken appropriate steps to ensure that no killing takes place," Nagaland Chief Wildlife Warden T Lotha said.

The wildlife department, he said, is working with other agencies also like the police and administration, besides the NGOs and forest department for the protection of the birds.

Amur Falcon also known as Eastern Red-footed Falcon, is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and northern China and spends the winter in southern Africa. Every year more than 100,000 Amur Falcons are hunted for food in Nagaland during their passage between breeding and wintering grounds.