The Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services Nagaland in collaboration with Nagaland Mithun Farmers Federation and HIT’s-Chikhu Ghakhu Farmers Society Nagaland organized a Mithun Show as a part of an event during the on-going 26th Edition of Hornbill Festival 2025 at Amphitheatre, Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, Kohima on 5th December 2025, with an initiative to showcase, promote and propagate the State Animal considered ‘the Pride of Nagaland’.
Dr. H. Inato Jimomi, Joint Director Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services Nagaland, stated that the Mithun show is organized with an initiative to promote and revive Mithun farming in the state, as Mithun in Nagaland is declining drastically today. He informed that 90 % of Mithun livestock reared in community forest in the rural areas have declined due to deforestation for human habitation and farms causing these livestock to lose their natural habitats. He stated that this was a major factor leading the Mithun farmers to shift from Mithun farming to agricultural farming and putting up their livestock either for sale or culled for meat to meet their financial constraints.
He also stated that with the Government of Nagaland declaring Mithun as the ‘State Animal’, and ‘the Pride of Nagaland’, the population of Mithun is declining recently. The Department initiated in hosting the Mithun show to spread awareness and importance of economic sustainability by rearing Mithun. He also encouraged the farmers and youths to take up Mithun farming as they are the assets of the Nagas.
He also highlighted the initiative works taken up by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun at Medziphema, Nagaland to promote the population growth of this ‘State Animals’.
(Maongtemjen, IA)
