9th Amur Falcon Festival celebrated in Manipur to promote wildlife conservation

Imphal, Nov 22: In a bid to espouse the cause of wild-life conservation and promote the cultural heritage of the region, the 9th Amur Falcon Festival was celebrated on Thursday under the aegis of the Tamenglong district administration, the Forest Department, and the Rainforest Club Tamenglong (RCT) at the Lower Ground of Tamenglong, 150 km from here.

Water Resources and Relief and Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai, MLAs Janghemlung Panmei (Tamenglong) and Leishiyo Keishing (Phungyar), Divisional Forest Officer N Ganesh, other officials, leaders from civil society organisations, students, and village representatives were present at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Newmai said that Tamenglong has emerged as a safe refuge for Amur falcons, putting the district on the global map of wildlife conservation by initiating satellite-tagged programmes.

Notably, two Amur falcons, Guangram and Chiuluan 2—named after two villages where they roost—were satellite-tagged by a Wildlife Trust of India team, underscoring the ongoing efforts to study and protect these migratory birds.

In his speech, MLA Panmei called for spreading the message that Tamenglong has been protecting the Amur falcons to the global communities, especially those of China and Siberia. In his welcome note, Tamenglong Deputy Commissioner Dr L Angshim Dangshawa praised the villagers for their commitment to protecting the Amur falcon, stressing the vital role of students as future guardians of the species.

The festival commenced with the 'Rih Laem', a war dance, by the Khunchung Dance Troupe, Phalong, and a cultural dance glorifying God's creation by the Puching Dance Troupe.

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