Students during the fifth edition of the Tokhü Emong Bird Count 2026 held at the Nature Learning Center, Forest Office Complex, Dimapur on November 4.
Dimapur, November 4 (MExN): The fifth edition of the Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC) 2026 began on Wednesday with 72 species recorded on Day 1 from 26 checklists.
The event was inaugurated at the Nature Learning Center, Forest Office Complex, Dimapur, marking the start of one of Nagaland’s major citizen-science birding initiatives.
The inaugural ceremony, chaired by Rotoli Sumi of Eco Warriors Nagaland, saw the participation of forest officials, birdwatchers, students and nature enthusiasts.
Speaking at the event, Lesemew M, Founder of Eco Warriors Nagaland, traced the journey of the TEBC from a local initiative to a growing statewide movement aimed at encouraging people, particularly the younger generation, to connect with nature and participate in biodiversity conservation.
Delivering the keynote address, Tokaho Kinimi, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Phek, underlined the role of students in shaping the future of conservation in Naga society. He described birds as indicators of environmental health and shared his experiences in wildlife tourism and conservation from his earlier posting as Wildlife Warden.
Lansothung Lotha, Range Forest Officer, Wokha Forest Division, formally declared the Tokhü Emong Bird Count 2026, marking the commencement of the bird count across Nagaland.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Meriyani Ezung of Eco Warriors Nagaland.
Later, interactive sessions were led by Tekameren I Jamir, Co-Founder of Eco Warriors Nagaland, featuring games and a birdwatching activity at the Forest Colony Complex, Dimapur. The session offered hands-on learning on bird identification, the use of the eBird platform and the importance of contributing bird observations to a global scientific database.
The event is jointly organised by the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Nagaland, in collaboration with Bird Count India, FES and Eco Warriors Nagaland, and powered by eBird India. The TEBC 2026 encourages citizens from all walks of life, including schoolchildren, youth, birdwatchers, community leaders and senior citizens, to observe birds and contribute information towards conserving Nagaland’s avian diversity.
“When we count birds, we count the health of our land. Tokhü Emong is not just about harvest, it is about gratitude for all creation,” the organisers said in an update.
The event also featured updates from the Wokha team on birdwatching activities with students, encouraging greater participation from young birders in recording and uploading their observations on the eBird platform during the bird count period.
