In a recent development, an animal welfare organisation based in Manipur discovered valuable information about a ringed juvenile black-crowned night heron that landed at a local pond in Imphal and later succumbed to injuries. The medium-sized heron belongs to a global family found in various regions, including Asia, North and South America, and Europe.
Cooperative Efforts and Information Gathering
The Manipur-based organisation dedicated to animal welfare undertook strenuous efforts to gather details about the tagged migratory bird, locally known as ‘Chongkhu.’ The official, Biswajeet Meitei, revealed that a Chinese bird conservationists’ group provided crucial information about the bird’s origins.
Timeline of Events
Biswajeet detailed the sequence of events leading to the discovery. On December 16, 2023, a resident of Sagoltongba in Imphal West district reported finding a bird with a ring on its leg in a residential pond, injured by a dog. The organisation promptly responded, relocating the black-crowned night heron to their animal rescue home in Thoubal district.
Communication and Collaboration
The organisation, seeking information, sent letters with pictures of the bird and the ring to various Chinese animal lovers’ groups. Despite no immediate response, efforts continued, and personal communications were made with a scientist from the Wildlife Institute of India and the Director of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society.
Confirmation and Resolution
The National Bird Banding Centre (NBBC) in China eventually confirmed, through an email on January 23, 2024, that the heron, tagged as JO8-0900, was banded at the Weishan Bird Banding Station in Beijing on September 18, 2023. The bird unfortunately passed away on December 18, 2023, and its carcass is preserved at the organisation’s center in Thoubal. With the necessary details obtained, the organisation plans to dispose of the carcass.
Global Significance of Cooperation
Despite the unfortunate demise of the bird, the cross-border cooperation underscores the importance of global initiatives in tracking and preserving migratory species, as mentioned in the official release.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers:
- Where was the ringed juvenile black-crowned night heron discovered?
- A) Beijing
- B) Imphal
- C) Thoubal
- D) Sagoltongba
- On which date did the National Bird Banding Centre (NBBC), China, inform about banding the bird in Beijing?
- A) December 18, 2023
- B) January 23, 2024
- C) September 18, 2023
- D) December 16, 2023
- What was the tagging number of the black-crowned night heron?
- A) JO8-0900
- B) NBBC-2023
- C) CHN-BB18
- D) WSHN-5678
- How did the heron sustain injuries according to the press release?
- A) Attacked by another bird
- B) Bitten by a dog
- C) Natural causes
- D) Trapped in a net
- What organization is empowered to rescue and treat injured animals, according to Biswajeet?
- A) World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- B) Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
- C) Central Zoo Authority
- D) Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS)