From few to thousand: 'Great Myna' conservation reaping success
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ngangom Suraj

Imphal, May 20 2025: Every year on May 22, the International Day of Biodiversity reminds us of the urgent need to protect the delicate balance of life on Earth.

While many conservation stories focus on exotic or endangered species, sometimes it's the return of a familiar voice that speaks loudest.

In Wangoo village in Kakching district, a local group called "Chonga Foundation" has successfully revived the local population of the Great Myna, locally known as Chonga Amubi, a bird once abundant, but slowly vanishing from their ecosystem.

By simply installing numerous earthen pots on tree branches especially along Manipur River, in less than three decades the Foundation has managed to increase the bird's population from as few as less than 5 to over 1000.The significant step will not only help conserve the biodiversity of the region but will also serve as "action" to mitigate climate change.

The Great Myna play a significant role in its ecosystem as a pollinator and seed disperser, contributing to plant reproduction and biodiversity.

As they are omnivorous, they also help control insect populations by consuming them, and even assist in reducing parasites on cattle and other wild animals by eating away ticks and flies, thus making its conservation efforts significant.

The IUCN status of Great Myna is least concerned, which means the species is not currently considered to be at risk of extinction.

However, in Manipur, due to habitat loss, hunting and excessive use of pesticides and other chemicals especially in agriculture, a bird which used to be a common house pet and seen almost everywhere some years ago has now become increasingly rare.

The Chonga Foundation's simple but effective successful conservation efforts for the great Myna bird demonstrate how targeted species protection can contribute to broader biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

By focusing on the habitat needs of the great myna, the Foundation likely protects and restates forests, grasslands, or wetlands where the bird thrives.

In an exclusive interview with The People's Chronicle, Shagolsem Bangkimchandra Singh (54), son of (late) S Jugol Singh, who is leading the Foundation, recalled that the idea of conserving the Great Myna bird struck him after he attended the World Environment Day under the theme "It's Time to Take Action" in 2001 during his studies in Bangalore.

After returning home the following year, he started installing few earthen pots on tree branches for trial along the banks of Manipur River which saw immediate success as few birds nested and brought up chicks, he said.

Recalling that during the initial stage of the conservation effort fewer than five or six myna bird could be spotted sporadically, and people doubted and judged his work, Bangkimchandra said that at present flocks of myna numbering over a thousand have been spotted in held and other open areas.

He said that the bird species broods thrice a year which can produce up to 200 chicks annually considering over 2000 earthen pots have been installed, the number of birds could be accurate.

Naturally, the bird is nested in tree cavities or tree hollows which are found only in big old trees.

As most forests are now bereft of large trees due to large scale deforestations, the earthen pots installed on branches of smaller or young trees mimic the tree cavities which make the birds attracted to them, Bangkimchandra explained.

Pointing out that the Manipuri (Meetei) forefathers have long been associated with the Great Myna and are concerned with its conservation as it acted as natural pest control in agricultural fields and also a medium for seed dispersal of various native trees including banyan and fig trees, Bangkimchandra said that farmers are now more than happy with the return of the bird.

Speculating that the bird population around Wangoo migrated to warmer surrounds including Imphal areas, Jiribam, Tripura and even parts of Myanmar during winter months, Bangkimchandra expressed the desire to further extend the study of the migratory route by satellite tagging, which of course need assistance from departments concerned.

Recalling that there were instances when he confronted hunters who set traps and cause forest fire to Thongam Mondum Reserve Forest and habitat areas of the bird, Bangkimchandra said that he never backed down and in the long run, with the help of locals and raising awareness campaigns, the confrontations subsided.

Protecting the intricate balance of nature is essential for the survival of all life on Earth as each organism, from the tiniest microbe to the largest predator, plays a unique role in maintaining ecological harmony.

Preserving nature's delicate equilibrium ensures a sustainable future for generations to come and safe guards the planet's resilience in the face of environmental challenges, Bangkimchandra said, while also urging authorities concerned to joint hands with conservation groups and also the locals so as to yield greater success in conservation efforts.

It may also be mention that Chonga Foundation is the winner of the India Biodiversity Award 2021 for Conservation of Wild Species and a district-level award in the 63rd Wildlife Week 2018 observance.

(The report is filed under the 6th Manipur State Level Media Fellowship Programme on Climate Change Reporting, sponsored by Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Manipur) .

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