Two Amur falcons, Apapang and Alang, have returned to Manipur after a year-long migration across 23 countries, as confirmed by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, following their tagging by WII scientists in 2025.
Successful Return of Migratory Falcons
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday said two Amur falcons, Apapang and Alang, have returned to Manipur after travelling across 23 countries, completing their nearly year-long tracking journey. In a post on X, Yadav said the two migratory birds had arrived in Manipur on Thursday, 11 days after beginning their journey from their breeding areas in northeastern China. The birds were tagged by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in November 2025. Highlighting the birds' extensive migration across Asia and Africa, Yadav described them as global citizens, noting that their return to Manipur marked the completion of their round-trip journey since being tagged by scientists. A journey to India through 23 countries! Having started from their breeding areas in northeastern China 11 days ago, the two Amur Falcons Apapang and Alang arrived in Manipur yesterday. This marks the successful completion of their nearly year-long tracking and also their round-trip journey back to Manipur since tagging by scientists of WII in November 2025; travelling through 23 countries on their journey across Africa and Asia, the Amur Falcons are truly global citizens. The two Amur falcons are expected to now make a two to three week stopover at select sites in the beautiful mountainous tracts of Tamenglong district in Manipur, where local people now eagerly wait for their return year after year and protect the falcons. Feasting on the termites emerging in and around their stopover sites the Amurs will put on fat reserves that is critical for their next leg of migration, which will be a 6-day nonstop flight of nearly 6000 km from here to Somalia that also includes a 3000 km Arabian Sea crossing. The Amur Falcons are truly remarkable for their migration journeys. — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) October 23, 2026
Statements from Union Minister Bhupender Yadav
Yadav said, “A journey to India through 23 countries! Having started from their breeding areas in northeastern China 11 days ago, the two Amur Falcons Apapang and Alang arrived in Manipur yesterday. This marks the successful completion of their nearly year-long tracking and also their round-trip journey back to Manipur since tagging by scientists of WII in November 2025; travelling through 23 countries on their journey across Africa and Asia, the Amur Falcons are truly global citizens.”
Community Protection and Future Migration
Yadav further said the birds were expected to stay for two to three weeks at selected sites in the mountainous areas of Manipur's Tamenglong district, where local residents await their return every year and protect them. “The two Amur falcons are expected to now make a two to three week stopover at select sites in the beautiful mountainous tracts of Tamenglong district in Manipur, where local people now eagerly wait for their return year after year and protect the falcons,” Yadav said.
Explaining the next stage of their migration, Yadav said the falcons would feed on termites around their stopover sites to build up fat reserves needed for the next leg of their journey. “Feasting on the termites emerging in and around their stopover sites the Amurs will put on fat reserves that is critical for their next leg of migration, which will be a 6-day nonstop flight of nearly 6000 km from here to Somalia that also includes a 3000 km Arabian Sea crossing. The Amur Falcons are truly remarkable for their migration journeys,” he added. (ANI)
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