Imphal, Jan 6: ‘Chiuluan2,’ one of two satellite-tagged Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) named after a village in Manipur’s Tamenglong district, has reached South Africa after crossing the Kalahari Desert.

The milestone was confirmed by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientist R. Suresh Kumar, who is monitoring the bird’s migratory route. According to Kumar, the bird had earlier made a stopover in Somalia after an uninterrupted five-day, 17-hour flight across the Arabian Sea.

On November 8, 2024, the Manipur forest department, in collaboration with local residents, released ‘Chiuluan2’ and ‘Gwangram’—two Amur falcons fitted with satellite transmitters. The initiative aims to track their migratory routes and study environmental patterns originating from Tamenglong.

“The region in South Africa where ‘Chiuluan2’ arrived on Saturday is the African Veldt, located approximately 360 km west of Johannesburg,” Kumar noted. ‘Chiuluan2’ is a male falcon, while ‘Gwangram’ is female. Both birds are named after two prominent Amur falcon roosting villages in Tamenglong.

However, Kumar expressed concern that ‘Gwangram’ has not transmitted signals since December 13.

Amur falcons, known as the world’s longest-traveling birds, are protected under Wildlife Protection Act.

Read: Manipur: 2 people injured, 15 houses destroyed in massive fire in Moreh

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