Amur falcons flock in thousands annually from China and Russia to Nagaland, where they roost for over a month during October-November before continuing their journey westwards toward Africa. Amur Falcon Capital Of The World/ FacebookAn international team of ornithologists declared Nagaland ‘the Falcon capital of the world’ sometime back after they recorded that around one million Amur Falcons roost in the region. Traversing 22,000 kmsThe Amur Falcon is a small bird that travels long distances between its breeding grounds in Eastern Russia and China to wintering grounds in Southern Africa and back. It annually flies around 22,000 kms all the way across Asia, over the Indian Ocean, to reach its destination. In 2013, a team of ornithologists had counted over 1 million Amur Falcons entering a night roost near Wokha in Nagaland, where the Amur falcons halt to roost before crossing the Indian Ocean. Suman SWM/ TwitterNick Williams, Head of the Coordinating Unit of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU), said, ‘This is by far the largest and most spectacular roost of any species of falcon ever seen anywhere in the world, it represents a unique and irreplaceable part of the rich biodiversity of Nagaland’. Hunted earlier In October 2012, a mass hunting exercise for the bird's meat consumption was exposed.Hunters mass-trapped the Amur Falcon birds using large nets erected vertically around the roosting area. Amur falcons caught in fishing nets, 2012/ Scroll.in, Photo Credit: Shashank DalviIt was revealed that an estimated 120,000–140,000 Amur falcons were being hunted and killed in Nagaland, India, every year, as reported by Mongabay-India. This mass killing was first reported by Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust (NWBCT), an NGO based in Dimapur, Nagaland, and Conservation India (CI)—an online portal to enable conservation action. It was extensively covered and got recognition internationally, which ultimately set off the campaign to save the amur falcons. Swift action to save falcons India acted swiftly following the revelations. An armed Forest Protection Force was immediately deployed that seized nets and released any captured live falcons that were found. Open public meetings were held by the Nagaland Forest Department, supported by NGOs, in order to raise awareness. A tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Natural Nagas, a Wokha-based non-governmental organization, and the village council members (VCM) of three Naga villages—Pangti, Asha and Sungro—to aid the Nagaland Forest Department in halting the mass hunting of Amur falcons. The Amur Falcon/ Wikimedia CommonsSuch effort by governments, NGOs and community members has truly transformed the reception of Amur Falcons in Nagaland and today, the state happily welcomes them and even celebrates the Amur Falcon festival every year. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.