Rare birds sighted in Kamjong range begin to fall prey to locals
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Pamreiso Shimray
Kamjong (Ukhrul), December 14 2012:
A flock of rare birds has been sighted in Kamjong range of Ukhrul district and the large winged species, probably belonging to Vulture family, has began to fall prey to the locals as one of them was killed recently.
On December 10, the rare birds numbering about 15 were sighted in a nearby jungle of Kamjong, a sub-divisional town close to Indo-Myanmar border, at around 3pm. Incidentally, a villager who was tending his fishery pond caught sight of the winged species and made a kill with his shotgun.
The brown feathered bird weighed about 10 kgs, four-foot in height and its wings spread to more than six feet.
It is akin to Vulture, a species listed in the scheduled list of endangered birds, with other similar features but has a bare neck.
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On close examination of the species in photographs availed from Kamjong locals, the bird is probably the same kind killed by a veteran hunter at "Varangrai" jungle in Ukhrul's Phungcham village on February 1.The Varangrai episode had reportedly prompted the Ministry of Forest and Environment, New Delhi to issue directive to Manipur Government to look into the matter.
Locals said the birds numbering about 22 have been seen flying across the Phange village from Patkai hills in Myanmar on December 10.On the same day, the man made the kill after seeing them perching on the tree nearby his farm in the vicinity of the same village's jungle.
Phange is located 2km in the Eastern side of Kamjong town, which is 80km from Ukhrul district headquarters.
The villager was busy tending his fishery pond when he sighted the rare birds.
He feared that they have come to feed on the fishes and therefore, killed it, said a reliable local, as per what was told by the villager who came with the winged bounty.
However, sources refused to divulge the identity of the man who killed the rare bird with his shotgun.
Local elders said the brown feathered birds that have an Eagle-like sharp beak are rare arrival and have never seen them in the past known years.
It is believed they migrated probably from neighboring Myanmar's Patkai hill range.
However, the majestic large-beak Hornbills are occasionally sighted in the border villages every winter.