HORNBILLS

•  The hornbills (Bucerotidae)  are a family of birds found in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia.
• India is home to nine species of hornbills. The northeastern region has the highest diversity of hornbill species within India.
• Papum RF is a nesting habitat of three species of hornbills : the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) , Wreathed hornbill ( Aceros undulatus) and the Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) Wreathed and Oriental pied .The 862 sq.km pakke reserve houses a fourth species the Rufous -necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis) species are found here.
• The great hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala.

Significance:

• They are the cultural symbols of some ethnic communities in the northeast, specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh.
• They are referred to as 'forest engineers' or ' farmers of forest' for playing a key role in dispersing seeds of tropical trees and indicate the prosperity and balance of the forest they build nests in.
• The hornbill festival celebrated in Nagaland is named after the bird - Hornbill which is the most revered and admired bird for the Nagas .

Conservation Status

• Currently 26 out of the 62 species (40%) of hornbills are Globally Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction , with all other species listed as least concern, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list of Threatened species.
• The great hornbill is evaluated as vulnerable.
• It is protected at the highest level under Schedule Ⅰ of the wildlife protection act,1972.

Threats

• Hornbills are hunted for their casques - upper beak- and feathers for adorning headgear. They are also poached for their meat and medical value of body parts.
• A conservation programme promoting the use of fibre glass beaks for head gear instead for real hornbill casques has helped reduce some threat to it.
• Illegal logging that is cutting of tall trees where hornbill birds nest and feed has led to the destruction of it's natural habitat.

Way Forward

The results of the study underscore the need for hornbill habitat conservation efforts in India. Hornbill conservation must proceed along the twin paths of weaning away tribal hunters through the provision of substitutes , and nursing forest fragments back to health using science.