Six long-tailed broadbills found dead in Manipur

IMPHAL: Days after a GPS-tagged

Amur falcon

was shot by a poacher in Tamenglong, six long-tailed broadbills were found dead in two different areas of the valley in Manipur.


Four were found at the Sagolband Tera area in Imphal West and one in

Thoubal district

on Monday morning. Another was found at Yairipok, also in Thoubal, on Sunday. "After receiving report of the deaths of these beautiful birds, we went to the spots immediately and collected the four carcasses from the Sagolband Tera area. We took them to the state veterinary head office in Imphal, where the post mortem was conducted," managing trustee of People for Animals (Manipur) Biswajeet Meitei said. But no conclusive report emerged because of putrefaction of the bodies, Biswajeet added.

The colourful birds are found in an area ranging from the

Himalayas

to Borneo, but are rarely seen in the valley and urban areas of the region. During winter, they travel from the higher altitudes to lower altitudes but there is no defined migration pattern.

They are insect-eaters, Biswajeet said, and may have hit high walls or trees after having insects that were covered in pesticides and then fallen dead to the ground.

On Sunday, People for Animals (Manipur) in association with many other animal lovers' bodies and wild life photographers had organized a condolence meet here for the death of an Amur Falcon and tigress Avni. They also demanded to book the culprits involved in killing the falcon and justice for Avni.