South Africa and India partner up to save the falcons

Andre Botha, the manager of the Birds of Prey Programme at the Endangered Wildlife Trust shared the following post recently, in an aim to raise awareness and help protect the Amur Falcons. 

"I am very happy to be associated with this important initiative in Nagaland, India where our partners are working hard to prevent the future massacre of tens of thousands of Amur Falcons while on their southward migration to their wintering grounds in southern Africa. Also chuffed that they decided to use one of my images in the campaign logo. Please read the details of the initiative below and share freely."

“Friends of the Amur Falcon” Campaign Launched

A comprehensive campaign to protect the Amur Falcons that migrate through Nagaland every winter has
been launched in Wokha District of Nagaland. It will include nature education, creation of Amur Falcon
EcoClubs, patrolling and enforcement, as well as scientific study of the birds.
Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust (NWBCT), an NGO based in Dimapur, is the
principal lead of this campaign, supported by top conservation institutions like Wildlife Conservation
Society (WCS), Birdlife, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Raptor Research and Conservation
Foundation (RRCF) and Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT). In addition, there is active support and
encouragement from the Government of Nagaland.
The campaign is in response to the mass killings of Amur Falcon that was recorded last year by the team.
In a message of support, the Chief Minister of Nagaland Mr. Neiphiu Rio stated “The state government is
committed to end the unfortunate killings of the migratory Amur Falcons in Nagaland while they are
passing through the state. Further Mr. Rio added, “It is our duty to protect the Amur Falcons and, in true
Naga tradition of hospitality, treat them as honoured and esteemed guests”.
The complete statement of support from the Chief Minister is attached to this press release.
The local administration (Deputy Commissioner) as well as the Department of Forests, Ecology,
Environment and Wildlife will be stepping up vigilance to prevent any hunting this season.
Conservation education
NWBCT kicked-off a comprehensive education initiative covering the areas the falcons visit. This proven
and comprehensive programme opens a window into the world of nature education as a tool for
conservation.
A “training the trainer” workshop will prepare participants to help educate kids in the villages. The
participants selected will have varied backgrounds such as teachers, church workers, NGO activists,
interested youth of the village and even hunters willing to reform.
Next will be the formation of EcoClubs in specific villages that will focus on nature and wildlife education,
fieldwork, creative arts and photography. Study of Amur Falcons and its protection will be central to these
EcoClubs. A “brand” will be built around the falcon so it becomes a mascot for the community. The
EcoClubs will have Amur posters, stickers, badges and a highly educative “Amur Falcon Passport” for
kids to record details of the falcons migrating through their village.
Managing trustee of NWBCT Bano Haralu believes that “Local communities respond better when the
youth are educated and this can happen only through intensive grassroots education as the team has
seen in other parts of the Northeast”.
Mass killings
Every October, huge numbers of Amur Falcons (Scientific name: Falco amurensis) arrive in northeast
India from Siberia en route to South Africa. This little bird of prey has one of the longest migration routes
of all birds, doing up to 22,000 km in a year. In addition to the distance covered, the birds are unusual in
that they migrate a large distance over the sea and also continue their journey at night.
Last October, the NWBCT team documented the shocking massacre of tens of thousands of these
migratory falcons in Wokha district of Nagaland in India’s northeast.
The migrating falcons descend to forested patches along the banks of the Doyang reservoir (30km from
Wokha town) to roost. Here, hunters set up huge fishing nets (30-40m long, 10-12m tall) where the birds
get caught in large numbers. Doyang reservoir in Wokha district probably hosts the single largest
congregation of Amur falcons recorded anywhere in the world and it is tragic that they are mercilessly
targeted by hunters here.
These findings were published in Conservation India (http://www.conservationindia.org/campaigns/amurmassacre)
that resulted in national and international outcry. It is important to note that India, as a
signatory to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), is duty bound to prevent this massacre, provide
safe passage, as well as draw up action plans for the long-term conservation of this bird.
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For more details on the Friends of the Amur Falcon campaign, please contact:
Bano Haralu at planetbano@gmail.com (+91-98560-32227)
Ramki Sreenivasan at ramki@wildventures.com (+91-98450-66677)

Progress Report from BoWP National Project Committee

The Barcode of Wildlife Project was initiated in South Africa in April 2013 and has since been going from strength to strength through the hard work, dedication and commitment of the participants. In April, two workshops were held - one to identify potential participants and partners and the second to establish the National Project Committee that would be the driving force behind all BoWP-SA initiatives. 

By mid-June approximately 200 priority species that would be the initial focus for DNA collection had been identified. Potential participant laboratories where DNA samples could be processed had also been surveyed. The month of June marked the first workshop for legal standards and standard operating procedures, where the main considerations and challenges for the collection and processing of samples were discussed. This workshop was hailed as a massive success by all who attended, and laid the foundation upon which the project could be built. 

Currently, the BoWP team is busy drafting standard operating procedures for sampling, processing and vouchering of DNA specimens according to the legal specifications to allow for these samples to be submitted as evidence in a court of law. This is to ensure that each voucher in the reference library will meet the judicial standards and be admissible as evidence in a South African court of law. The team is also busy identifying the needs of and designing sampling kits for plants and different animal groups.  These kits will eventually play a vital part in the process of collecting evidence. 

BoWP-SA now also faces the task of collecting the DNA samples, not only of the 200 priority species but also of the look-alike species. They are also drafting sampling plans and establishing what the requirements are for collecting permits. It is important to remember that the animals and plants to be sampled are often endangered or protected, and may not be collected without the relevant permits. 

As for the immediate future, meetings are scheduled for the first week of September to discuss the range of training needs for the project. This will include the training of participants who will be assisting with sampling, as well as laboratory technicians, inspectors and prosecutors. 

 What next?

The next steps would be to develop and finalise all the documentation around the legal standards and standard operating proceduress for the various processes and facilities involved in the project, as well as finalising the laboratories and collection institutions that will be involved in the project. Where there are still gaps in the database and reference library, look-alike species would have to be idenitified and collected. This would also be useful to see whether phylogenies exist that could support the species selected. The sources of material for the reference library would also have to be identified. And then comes the initiation of the ambitious and challenging sampling programme, all with the assistance of various partners/participants nationally.

Below is a list of partners who have indicated a willingness to participate in the project and/or contribute material, expertise or facilities:

·         Department of Environmental Affairs

·         Endangered Wildlife Trust

·         KZN Sharks Board

·         National Prosecuting Authority

·         National Zoological Gardens, Pretoria

·         South African National Biodiversity Institute

·         South African National Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

·         University of Johannesburg, African Center for DNA Barcoding

BoWP-SA is very excited about the progress made so far, and the exciting work that lays ahead.