Wildlife Warden for preservation of wildlife in Tamenglong
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 25 2015 : Wildlife Warden, Tamenglong, Nehemiah Panmei has urged the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest for taking up necessary measures for protection, preservation and enhancement of wildlife in Tamenglong district.

In a representation he stated that with the increasing awareness on the benefits of the environmental protection, some villages have started banning the felling of trees within their areas.

With a little acknowledgement from the Government, many villages will be encouraged to save the wildlife.

On national days like Republic Day, Independence Day or the World Environment Day, if the villagers are given due acknowledgement of their very vital role for preservation of wildlife by giving cash award with citations, many more villages will be encouraged to preserve and protect their forests and wildlife avian visitors, the Amur Falcons come in great numbers to Tamenglong in the early part of October every year, it said.

Thousands of this bird is killed by the villagers for meat or to supplement their income by selling them.

In the last few years people have been given awareness not to kill them and the killings have been drastically reduced, awareness campaigns are very much required even as the people need to be convinced further not to kill the falcons in their migratory stop over.

Many traditional dances depicting the life of wild animals are there among the Zeliangrong tribes living in Tamenglong.

If a week-long traditional dance festival is held in the early part of October every year, awareness will be spread to preserve wildlife including Amur Falcons.

Such a festival will also bring in tourists from other parts of the country and even from abroad.

"I would like to request you to explore the possibility of starting the festival from this year in order to give more push to the campaign for preservation of wildlife and environment," Nehemiah Panmei said.

He added, "Manipur State has already missed out the opportunity to gain international fame and acknowledgement by not carrying out the campaign to protect Amur Falcon earlier.

Let us not miss the chance again by ignoring to organize indigenous traditional dance festivals based on wildlife.

Of the three proposed wildlife sanctuaries in Tamenglong, all the necessary works have been done for Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary" .

"The Wildlife Division along with Western Forest Division accompanied by myself has undertaken comprehensive awareness campaigns and surveyed the area for the sanctuary.

Moreover, the district administration had done the necessary preparatory works by issuing public notification and holding public hearing.

So, I would like to appeal to you to kindly take necessary measures to make Zeilad Wildlife Sanctuary a reality," he said.

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