‘Phom’and ‘Longleng’ take flight

Fitted with satellite transmitters Amur Falcons go up on world map of wildlife conservation

In yet another step for Nagaland State towards conservation of the winged visitors from Mongolia, two Amur Falcons named ‘Phom’ and ‘Longleng’ were fitted with satellite transmitters and released from Lemscahenlok biodiversity conservation area at Yaongyimchen village under Longleng District on Saturday.

“The two migratory birds from Mongolia will carry the message of the Phom region and Phom people on conservation to all corners of the world,” said Dr. R Suresh Kumar, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) during the release of the birds.

Dr. Kumar said the world may never have heard of Longleng or of the Phom people, but the satellite tagging of the two Amur Falcons will now put them on the world map of wildlife conservation.

Besides, nine other Amur Falcons named Yingli, Chingmei (peace), Pongching, Mongtikang, Kompang, Liok, Lasa and Henko were tagged with rings and identification numbers and released on the day. This is the second satellite tagging of Amur Falcons from Nagaland after three Amur Falcons named Pangti, Naga and Wokha were satellite tagged in 2013 from Wokha district.

This conservation initiative of Yaongyimchen village is one of the big examples of how community involvement helps in conservation and protection of wildlife. Besides protecting the winged migratory birds, the village inhabitants do not hunt or kill any wildlife within their jurisdiction.

Lemscahenlok biodiversity conservation leading the way

Chairman of Lemscahenlok Society, who is also Executive Secretary of Longleng Baptist Churches Association, Nuklu Phom, said today’s successful tagging of the two migratory birds is an example of the community coming together, keeping their minds with one vision and working together.

Nuklu envisioned that Yaongyimchen has the potential to become a wildlife sanctuary. He said the village folk in the area have been carrying out conservation initiatives for more than six years without any help or assistance from any quarters.

The conservation efforts have borne fruit with not only the Amur Falcons coming to the biodiversity conservation area for roosting, but there are now more than 30 barking deers, 7 species of frogs, great Indian leopards, stags, sereows and other wildlife species living in the area.

Its neighboring villages namely Pongching, Mongtikang, Sanglu and Alayung have also joined hands with Yaongyimchen village in the conservation and protection of wildlife.

Only recently, more than 17 out of the 40 villages under Longleng district have declared in their citizens’ meetings to conserve forest and protect wildlife, Nuklu announced. “20-30 years from now Longleng district may become the biodiversity hotspot of the region,” he stated.

Chief Wildlife Warden, Department of Forest, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife, SP Tripathy while lauding the efforts of the Yaongyimchen village in the conservation of wildlife, said it is not only a contribution to India but to the whole world. It will also help in control of climate change, he added.

Tripathy also said this will also put Yaongyimchen village on the world map. The Chief Wildlife Warden suggested that the village make a community reserve project and submit it to him so that he can forward it to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.

Even though the Nagaland State Government does not have any funds to assist the village in their conservation efforts, Tripathy assured all possible help to promote the community reserve project with the GoI and at the same time make efforts to convert the area into an ecotourism spot.

You have to show the world the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity by a community

Hungarian Scientist Peter Fehervari, who is in Lemsachenlok along with his team on the invitation of the WII to satellite tag the Amur Falcons and study the birds said such conservation effort is really something to be proud of. “You have to show it to the world. This will teach the world the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity by a community,” Fehervari stated.

DFO Tuensang, Dr. Sentitula said the conservation initiative of the Yaongyimchen villagers is an example of social forestry and a sense of tribal identity which had always been a part of the Naga tribal life and culture, which has been lost in the present Naga context.

Early in the morning, a wildlife watch tower was also inaugurated. The Yaongyimchen village council took the initiative to build a four kilometer road up to the watch tower point. Short speeches were also delivered by DC Longleng, SP Longleng, President Phom People’s Council, president, APGO, and Samom Khelen Singh, Wildlife Warden Kiphire. Yaongyimchen Students’ Union presented a reading on ‘Our journey towards bio diversity conservation’ while Yaongyimchen Women Group presented a welcome song.

In an indication of how the Yaongyimchen villagers take the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity seriously, almost all the villagers locked their doors, left their daily chores and joined in the celebration of the success of their conservation efforts culminating with the tagging of the Amur Falcon at Nemba Point.

Published in Morung Express on October 30, 2016