Kolkata: In an extraordinary feat of endurance, an adult Amur falcon named Apapang has completed a 12,000-kilometer round trip to Africa and back in 178 days. The bird, radio-tagged and released from a village in Manipur's Tamenglong district, returned to the same area after its arduous journey, wildlife officials and bird enthusiasts confirmed on Saturday.
Return to Tamei
Apapang returned to Tamei, a subdivision of Tamenglong district, just 35 kilometers from Chiuluan, also known as Amur Falcon Village, where it was originally radio-tagged on November 11, 2024. According to officials, Apapang reached Tamei on May 7 and halted for the night on forested slopes during its northbound migration. It departed for 'Amurland'—a region covering southeastern Siberia and northern China—on the morning of May 8.
Tracking the Journey
As of May 8 afternoon, Apapang was at least 320 kilometers from Tamenglong, crossing into Myanmar and making a brief stop at the Chindwin River before continuing. Later, it arrived at a mountain slope facing the Irrawaddy River to rest for the night.
Conservation Initiative
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Manipur government launched 'The Manipur Amur Falcon Tracking Phase II' last year, radio-tagging three Amur falcons: Ahu and Alang (both females) and Apapang. Former Tamenglong district forest officer Hitler Kharibam explained that the birds were given local names to involve villagers in conservation efforts.
Record-Breaking Migration
Earlier, Apapang and the other two falcons flew to Africa, including Zimbabwe and other nations over 6,000 kilometers from Tamenglong. They reached the continent in a record nine to ten days, sometimes flying nearly 1,000 kilometers in a day. During the Arabian Sea crossing, these small birds flew non-stop.
With its return, Apapang has completed one half of the annual migration cycle. Bird enthusiast Laishram Samungou noted, 'Now, we will have to wait and see how far north it will go to breed and then wait for its return to Tamenglong once again later this year.'
Status of Other Falcons
Sadly, the two other radio-tagged falcons, Ahu (adult female) and Alang (young female), remained in Somalia. While Alang might still attempt to cross the Arabian Sea with the right tailwind and start its return journey, Ahu has not shown much movement, according to WII sources.
