IMPHAL, Jan 27: The radio-tagged Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) named ‘Chiuluan2’, after a village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, has reached the Kalahari in Botswana, Africa, after spending nearly 20 days in South Africa near Johannesburg. The bird, which was released with a satellite transmitter by the Manipur Forest Department and locals on November 8, 2024, is being closely monitored by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientist R Suresh Kumar, who tracks its migratory route.
‘Chiuluan2’ made its first stopover in Somalia after crossing the Arabian Sea in just five days and 17 hours in late November. Kumar anticipates that the falcon will continue to move in a circular pattern, likely influenced by food availability and weather conditions in regions like the Kalahari. “Potential rainfall in the Kalahari region may be guiding its migration,” Kumar noted.
The two falcons — ‘Chiuluan2’ and ‘Gwangram’ — were radio-tagged to study their migratory patterns, with the latter, a female, unfortunately losing signal since December 13, 2024. The birds were released as part of a continuing conservation effort by the Manipur Forest Department, following similar radio-tagging programs in 2018 and 2019.
Amur falcons, known for their long migratory journey of about 20,000 km, breed in southeast Russia and northeast China and migrate to Africa for the winter. Along their route, they pass through Afghanistan, East Asia, and make stopovers in places like northeast India and Somalia. These small raptors, locally known as Akhuaipuina, are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, and their migration has become a symbol of wildlife conservation efforts in India.
