IMPHAL: Apapang,a male Amur Falcon(Falco amurensis), radio-tagged in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, has made a non-stop flight of 6,100 km to Somalia in six days after crossing Arabian sea, officials said.
As per the latest satellite data of their migratory journey, Amur Falcon named Apapang has reached Zambia in Africa. (Sourced)
Three satellite-tagged Amur Falcons,world’s longest flying migratory birds, called ‘Apapang’, ‘Ahu’ and ‘Alang’, named after a roosting site and two rivers -Barak and Irang- in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, started their migratory journey soon after being radio-tagged with satellite transmitters from Chiuluan village in Tamenglong district on November 11.
Apapang is an adult male falcon while Alu and Alang are females.
“The speed of Apapang might have been increased because of the favourable oceanic winds, or the bird flies faster,” said Kharibam Hitler Singh, divisional forest officer of state’s Tamenglong forest division. “Apapang seems to be the fastest among these birds,” he said.
This remarkable migratory journey showcases the endurance of these tiny migratory birds and is one of the record flights for raptors of this size.
“Now Apapang has reached Zambia while Alang is in Tanzania, as per the latest satellite data of their migratory journey.But Ahu is still at the horn of Africa. It is not making much movement. Let us pray for its safety,” the forest official further added.The radio-tagging programme of Amur Falcon was taken up for the first time in Tamenglong district in November 2018, in a move to conserve wildlife.
The radio-tagging programme of Amur Falcon was taken up for the first time in Tamenglong district in November 2018, in a move to conserve wildlife.
The Amur falcons, locally known as Akhuaipuina (Taomuanpui), protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and included under Schedule I, spend their summers at their breeding grounds in southeast Russia and northeast China.
They migrate to their wintering grounds in South Africa, from where they start their return journey in April-May through Afghanistan and East Asia, undertaking a yearly journey of about 20,000 km. In their journey, this pigeon-sized world’s longest travelling raptors, arrive in large numbers during October in Nagaland and Manipur besides a few places in northeast India. They leave the region in November after having enough food for their non-stop flight to Africa where they spend their winters.