Bugun Liocichla is a multi-coloured bird discovered by physicists-cum-naturalist Ramana Athreya on a field trip to Arunachal Pradesh in 1995. The bird was officially recognized as a new species in 2006, given the scientific name Liocichla bugunorum, where Liocichla is the genus name and bugunorum after the Bugun tribe in whose community forests the species was discovered. It was also the first bird species to be described from India in 50 years!
But it is the year 2020 and the fame of the bird remains limited to ornithologists (traveling thousands of miles to see the bird in its natural habitat), and the local community who are making giant efforts to protect this tiny ‘Critically Endangered’ species.
Naresh Glow, a politician turned filmmaker from the same community has now made a documentary on the rare bird and its conservation which has been nominated for a prestigious environmental film festival to be held in Paris in December. The movie ‘Wildlife in Our Blood’ has been nominated in the Best Film and Best Director category of the 15th International Wildlife Conservation Documentary Film Festival. It has also been selected for screening at the 13th International Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Fest, 2020 to be held from October 8 to 11.
The film talks about the local community of the Bugun village and how the discovery of the bird, shaped their own journey towards community conservation.
The Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve in Tenga Valley of West Kameng district is adjacent to the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary where Bugun Liocichla bird is found. It is a difficult to spot bird with olive-green body feathers and yellow brows with hints of red on the underside of tail and wings.
Glow is a three-time MLA from Thrizino-Buragaon Assembly and one of the founders of the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve. His idea of the film was to show how locals, especially the members of the indigenous tribes have come forward to save the bird and its habitat. Singchung Bugun Community Reserve (SBVCR) also won the India Biodiversity Award 2018 in the “Conservation of wildlife species” category for its efforts to conserve the rare critically endangered bird.
“It’s definitely a boost for me as a filmmaker as my film will be watched by a wider section of viewers. It will be discussed and that’s how my purpose of making a film on the community and the reserve forest will be served. I’m so happy that my first film is getting such a positive response in Asia and Europe,” Naresh told EastMojo.
About Bugun Liocichla
