Three satellite tagged Amurfalcons from Manipur reach Africa

Three satellite transmitter tagged Amur falcons in Manipur reached Africa where they are currently spending their winter migration period.
Officials here reported them to be active and healthy and spending their winter in three African countries.
Under phase-2 of the Manipur Amur Falcon Tracking Project, the three Amur falcons were tagged with satellite transmitters in November 8, 2025 in Manipur’s Tamenglong district where they roosted for days during their annual stopover. The satellite tagging exercise was carried out by the state forest department in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India.
The three falcons – Ahu, Alang and Apapang – were released from the Chiuluan roosting site in Tamenglong district by a joint team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India, officials of the Tamenglong district forest division and volunteers from Chiuluan village.
Officials today said that the tagged Amur falcons have reached Africa in a record time of about nine to ten days.
Since then, the birds have been spending their wintering migration period in different African countries.
Dr R Suresh Kumar of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, in the latest update, confirmed that all three falcons were active and doing well. “Earlier concerns were raised about Ahu’s movement, but the latest tracking data indicates that the bird is making local movements and is currently confined to Somalia,” Dr Kumar said in the update.
As per the latest location data, he said, Ahu is currently in Somalia while Apapang is in Zimbabwe and Alang is in Botswana.
The update noted that during the previous wintering cycle, a tagged falcon from Chiuluan had begun its northward migration to its breeding grounds on April 14, 2025.
The satellite-tagging project of the Amur falcons aims to generate scientific data on the long-distance migration of the migratory bird (known for one of the most remarkable journeys in the avian world) and to strengthen conservation efforts in Tamenglong.
Another objective of the project was to better understand the migratory behaviour of Amur falcons and enhance conservation measures for this globally migrating species.