NONGPOH:
Residents of Tyrso area, Ri Bhoi district eagerly await the arrival of the migratory Amur Falcons that are known to breed in South Eastern Siberia and northern China and then migrate across the world including India.
Secretary of Tyrso Valley Wildlife Protection Society, Alos Nongpoh said, “The Amur Falcons have a deep connection with Mother Earth.”
Stating that climate change has an effect on the migratory birds, Nongpoh informed that the birds cannot stay when it is too hot and too cold, adding, “It all depends on the temperature, if the temperature is too hot, they will not come. They will also not stay if the weather is too hot or too cold.”
The secretary said that the birds usually arrive in October and leave in November. The birds usually perch on trees and bamboo in an area spread over 50-60 acres.
The Amur Falcon festival which is usually held every year was not held during the Covid pandemic. The festival is conducted quite far from where the birds stay in order to not disturb the birds.
The organisers and the villagers urged the government to come up with projects meant to protect and preserve the environment through the festival. Furthermore, while the area has benefitted from the festival, there are plans to make the place one of the tourist attractions.
“There are not many projects except that there is a training center, guest houses,” he said, adding that there has to be infrastructure to construct view points for tourists.
Nongpoh said that the villagers are protecting the migratory birds and not killing the raptors.
“We welcome these birds and we encourage the people to plant trees as well,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the first Amur Falcon festival was held in 2015 and since then it has been an annual affair.