DIMAPUR, Oct 27 - A few thousand Amur Falcons have arrived to roost in Nagaland for the next one month, according to Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. The department has appealed to all to welcome these little raptors and enjoy their presence.
�Let us allow our State as safe haven for this little creature and send them off happily,� Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF) Nagaland I Panger Jamir appealed in a release today.
Jamir said this year also the department is ready to receive the Amur Falcons and provide them safe passage.
In another press release, Wildlife Warden, Dimapur, Caroline K Angami, stated that the Amur Falcons, which undertake one of the longest migrations, were seen in thousands on October 25 at the roosting site at Ntu-Barak valley in Nagaland and are expected to arrive in multitudes in the coming days.
Besides Ntu-Barak valley, the Amur Falcons also roost at Doyang areas, Wokha district, Nuiland area, Dimapur district and Yaongyimchen in Longleng district.
The Wildlife Warden informed that Amur Falcons are protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and that trapping or killing of the birds was a criminal offence punishable with three years rigorous imprisonment or fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
Angami also reminded that as per government notification, the villages indulging in wildlife crime would be penalised by stopping their grant-in-aid allocations and the funds would be utilised for environmental protection activities by the government.
