Manipur campaign to save migratory birds

THOUBAL, Oct 18 – The declining trend of the migratory birds population in Manipur wetlands has brought forward a nature loving group of young volunteers in Manipur to launch campaign for the protection of the migratory birds this winter.

Young volunteers of People for Animal (PFA), Thoubal on Thursday formally launched the campaign “Greet our Guest” as part of celebrating its foundation day on the World Animal Day in the presence of Manipur Chief Minister’s wife and MLA O Landhoni and MLA K Meghachandra Singh.

“Our volunteers will be fanning out to where the migratory birds would visit, to take up effective measures in association with villagers,” vice chairperson PFA Thoubal AK Rameshwar Meitie said. “We hope the government agencies and others will support the campaign”, he added.

Thousands of migratory birds from Arctic region including Siberia, China, Mongolia and other Asian countries visit Manipur’s wetlands including Loktak, Pumlen, Ekop and Tangjeng during winter and flies back to their breeding ground during onset of summer.

“We have rescued many migratory birds and rare animals. Last year, we have even rescued Long tail mountain lady or Formosan Blue Magpie, the Taiwan’s national bird from the possession of hunters”, said Managing Trustee L Bishwajit of PFA Thoubal, which is instrumental in rescueing rare animals and reptiles including Tokay Geckos from the hands of poachers and smugglers recently.

Ekop pat, a wetland in Thoubal district, is an important breeding ground of various migratory birds. But due to human pressure, the wetland has recorded less number of migratory birds during winter unlike in the past.

The decline of migratory bird’s population has evoked apprehensions among the State’s environmentalists as to whether such birds will stop visiting the lake. It is reported that not less than 10 migratory bird species could not be spotted in the State’s wetlands.

According to environmentalist Kuman Jugeshwor Singh, Britishers have reportedly hunted more than 56,000 migratory birds belonging to 30 different species within a span of 30 years (1910-1930).

Thursday’s event came close on the heels of detection of a flock of Cotton Pigmy Geese, one of world’s smallest migratory water bird species taking shelter at the water bodies of historic Kangla Fort in Imphal.