MOGADISHU, Somalia — A tiny traveler with extraordinary stamina has stunned researchers once again. Apapang, an adult male Amur falcon tagged by Indian wildlife experts, has completed an incredible 5,000-kilometer journey from northeastern India to Somalia—finishing the trek in just over five days.
Apapang is one of three falcons—alongside Alang, a young female, and Ahu, an adult female—being tracked as part of Phase 2 of the Manipur Amur Falcon Tracking Project, run by the Wildlife Institute of India. The trio took off on their daring ocean-crossing migration on November 11, beginning one of the toughest routes taken by any bird species on Earth.
Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary of Tamil Nadu’s Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, announced Apapang’s arrival on X. She highlighted his impressive history of long-distance flights, noting: “Apapang has now done nearly 5,400 km, and it has taken him 5 days and 15 hours.”
What makes his achievement even more astonishing is his size. Weighing only around 150 grams—lighter than a small smartphone—Apapang averaged nearly 1,000 kilometers per day. In the first 76 hours after tagging, he covered more than 3,000 kilometers, soaring across central India before launching into a nonstop push over the Arabian Sea toward the Horn of Africa.
Scientists are closely monitoring the movements of all three falcons as they make their seasonal journey from Manipur’s lush forests to East Africa. While Apapang has completed his crossing, Alang and Ahu are still making their way along the migration route.
Amur falcons were once targeted heavily by hunters in northeast India, but strong conservation efforts—led largely by local communities—have dramatically shifted the narrative. Villagers who once hunted the birds now help safeguard them, turning the migration into a regional symbol of pride and environmental stewardship.
Researchers say Apapang’s latest journey is another powerful reminder of the incredible endurance packed into these small but mighty raptors as they navigate continents each year.
