Last year, there was a hue and cry in the Indian conservation circles about how a small bird of prey was being massacred in the thousands in the north-eastern parts of the country. The raptor in question was the Amur falcon (Falco amurensis), a native of the valley of the Amur river in eastern Russia. And the place where it was being killed in droves was the Doyang reservoir built on the Doyang river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra in the Wokha district of Nagaland.
Every year, as autumn approaches in the northern hemisphere, the Amur falcon begins an epic journey from its home, flying across Asia and then over the Indian Ocean, until it reaches southern Africa, where it spends the cold season warming itself in the southern sun.
The annual 22,000-km journey (3,000 kilometres over the ocean) begins in late August and continues throughout September. In October, the birds stop in north-eastern India to rest and build up reserves for another long stretch of flying. They fly away and reach Africa in late October or November. In February and March, the falcons make the return journey and reach the Amur Valley in April and early May.
However, for many falcons, the journey is often their last. And often, their perilous flight ends midway for the flocks. As wildlife NGOs discovered (and caught on camera) last year, hunters in Nagaland were trapping the birds and selling them, dead or alive, in huge numbers.
The hunters took advantage of the falcon's roosting habits. In the evening, the birds descended on the Doyang reservoir's banks to roost for the night. They took off again early in the morning. The hunters accordingly lined up fishing nets on the bank and captured the birds in the mornings and evenings.
The captured birds were kept alive in nets or cane baskets. They were then ferried to different villages and towns, where they were sold as a delicacy. Smoked falcon meat was in great demand. And while the Amur falcon is not an endangered species, the numbers involved were staggering: around 12,000-14,000 birds were being killed daily during the frenzy.
The story of the annual avian massacre soon gained attention in the media, and officials - both local and national - were forced to act, with happy results for the falcons. First, a Rapid Action Project (RAP) was drawn up by NGOs Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Natural Nagas to assist the Nagaland forest department in protecting the birds. RAP ensured that three village councils in Wokha passed a resolution to ban the hunting of the falcons. The village council heads also passed a resolution the trade of Amur falcons in Wokha, with a Rs 5,000 fine imposed on those caught doing so.
Then, protection squads were set up, comprising ex-hunters, which would keep watch over the roosting sites. Thirdly, a full-fledged awareness drive was initiated, including putting up signboards and posters in all villages of Wokha, to ensure the locals were aware of the council resolutions. Even local churches helped by spreading the message of awareness to their congregations.
This year, there has been no falcon holocaust. "Amur falcons started arriving in Nagaland on October 1. There have been no reports of hunting or trapping of the birds in the villages. It is very encouraging that villagers have come forward to save the birds," says Steve Oduyo of Natural Nagas.
WTI's Yuri Pator, who is monitoring the falcons, says, "We have been working to ensure the safety of Amur falcons this migration season. Villagers have become sufficiently aware about the need to conserve this bird. The commitment of the village council members has instilled the confidence that the falcons will be safe and this will ensure their successful journey to Africa."
