Imphal: People for Animal (PFA) Manipur has been informed that a ringed juvenile black-crowned night heron, which landed at a local pond in Imphal and died recently, was banded in its leg at Weishan bird banding station, Beijing.
The Manipur animal lovers’ group received the information after extending strenuous efforts to get details of the tagged migratory bird known as Chongkhu in the state.
“We are happy that the Chinese bird conservationists’ group has given the information of the bird,” Biswajeet Meitei, Managing trustee of PFA Manipur said on Monday.
He said on January 23, the National Bird Banding Centre (NBBC) China had banded the bird at Weishan Bird Banding Station, Beijing on September 18, last year.
Narrating the chain of events on the matter, Meitei said that on December 16 last year, a person from Sagoltongba in Imphal West district informed PFA that a bird with a ring in its leg was found at his residential pond and got injured after being bitten by a dog.
“We immediately rushed there and found injured on the black-crowned night heron’s legs and wings and kept it at our animal rescue home in Thoubal,” Biswajeet said, adding that the bird died on December 18.
On December 16, he sent letters with pictures of the bird and the ring to several Chinese animal lovers’ groups, seeking information about the winged guest but no response came immediately, Biswajeet added.
Biswajeet also informed the matter personally to a scientist of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dheradhun but no reply was received, he added.
Director of Hong Kong Bird Watching Society” (HKBWS) Yat-Tung Yu had on December 22 written to him speculating that the ring was used by the NBBC, Biswajeet said.
“Finally NBCC had On January 23 mailed me informing me that the heron with its tagging number JO8-0900 was banded at Weishan Bird banding station on September 18, 2023,” he said.
“We still preserve the carcass of the bird at our centre at Thoubal district headquarters, and as we have got its details we will dispose of it soon,” he added.
As PFA Manipur has been accredited by the Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi, “we are empowered to rescue animals, treat injured ones and study their details,” Biswajeet said.
Despite the bird’s unfortunate demise, this cross-border cooperation highlights the importance of global initiatives in tracking and preserving migratory species.
