Amur falcons from Manipur embark on extraordinary transcontinental journey

Three Amur falcons—Apapang, Alang, and Ahu—have begun a remarkable migration from Manipur, crossing central India and the Arabian Sea toward Somalia. Satellite tagging tracks their journey, highlighting migration marvels and India’s conservation efforts at key stopover sites.

Hyderabad: Three Amur falcons, Apapang, Alang and Ahu, are on an epic journey from Manipur, across central India and now over the Arabian Sea, astonishing officials of the Manipur Amur Falcon Tracking Project.

The second phase of the project, initiated by the Wildlife Institute of India, involves satellite tagging to study migration routes, monitor environmental patterns and support conservation. Apapang, an adult male, Alang, a young female, and Ahu, an adult female, were tagged on November 11 by the Manipur Forest Department.

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Days after they began their journey from Chiuluan village near the Tamenglong Forest Division, Apapang surprised researchers with a remarkable non-stop flight, crossing central India and skimming the Arabian Sea as it approached a 3,000 km oceanic crossing to Somalia, regarded as one of the most demanding journeys undertaken by any raptor.

Officials said that from the forests of Manipur to the vast African landscapes ahead, the tiny birds, each weighing barely 150 grams, continue to highlight the wonder of migration and underline why India’s protection of stopover sites has become a recognised conservation story.

According to the latest update, Apapang has already flown non-stop for 76 hours, covering 3,100 km at an average of 1,000 km per day with the help of strong easterly tailwinds. Officials added that the journey will become even more extraordinary as the birds head towards Somalia on the daunting 3,000 km oceanic stretch.

In a significant conservation effort, three Amur Falcons – Apapang, Ahu and Alang – were successfully tagged with satellite transmitters and released at the Chiuluan roosting site, Tamenglong.

This initiative, led by the Tamenglong Forest Division, Forest Department, Manipur,… pic.twitter.com/E8GQ4CZuvR

— Wildlife Institute of India (@wii_india) November 12, 2025