Mokokchung Forest Division (MWD) in collaboration with Wildlife Division Dimapur (WDD) organised a programme on “Amur Falcon in Mokokchung” under the theme “Listening to our own voices” at the Forest office, Marepkong, Mokokchung on Saturday.
Speaking at the programme, Wildlife warden Dimapur, Tokaho Kinimi said that Amur Falcon was of global significance and responsibility as Nagaland has been tagged as the Amur Falcon capital of the world.
He also added that the Amur Falcon falls under the schedule I species in Wildlife Protection Act. He further urged upon the gathering to re-affirm towards the conservation and safe passage of the bird.
He acknowledged that the conservation efforts have so far been successful in the state and urged for creating more awareness in the days to come.
Earlier, programme dwelled on the story of Amur Falcon in Nagaland with special reference to Mokokchung, with emphasis on bird migration and its significance.
Amur Falcon migration and roosting in Nagaland generally starts from the last week of September to last week of November.
Efforts at conservation and protection of the birds started in Mokokchung in 1989 under the initiatives of the Forest department at Changtongya village and it bore fruits as the Changtongya Village Council decided to protect and conserve the Amur Falcon in 2001. Subsequently the Changtongya Community Biodiversity Reserve Forest at Kanglatu came into being and efforts of conservation spread further and Nagaland state received the international recognition and award in 2014 for protection and conservation of Amur Falcons.
However, the department statistics points out that Amur Falcons no longer roost in large numbers in Mokokchung due to loss and fragmentation of habitat, human over population and removal of roosting trees.
In this background, the Forest Division Mokokchung has been making efforts to make the birds roost again in Mokokchung.
The programme was attended by various representatives of civil societies.