Deforestation causing loss of Hornbill

Context

Latest study revealed the impact of deforestation on Hornbill habitat.

Background

According to the Global Forest Watch 2020 report, Arunachal Pradesh lost 1,110 sq.km. of primary forest from 2002-2019. High rate of deforestation in a major hornbill habitat in Arunachal Pradesh causing loss of hornbill species. Papum Reserve Forest (RF) adjoining the Pakke Tiger Reserve as well as a part of Assam affected by illegal felling and ethnic conflict which is a nesting habitat of three species of the large, colourful fruit-eating hornbills: Great, Wreathed and Oriental Pied.

Hornbills

Hornbills are unique birds. They get their name from the horn-like projection called a casque on top of their beak. They are larger than other forest birds. Hornbills are flashy with their over-sized beaks, bright skin around their eyes and long eyelashes. Most have a brilliantly coloured pouch of loose skin at their throat in which they carry fruits, their favourite food.

Hornbills indicate the prosperity and balance of the forest they build nests in. As play active role in dispersing the seeds of many tropical trees and keep the forest alive, called as ‘forest engineers’ or ‘farmers of forest’.

Diversity and Distribution of Hornbills

Hornbills are large and wide-ranging birds and most species are dependent on tropical forest habitats that contain large and tall trees. As they mostly eat fruits, a diversity of native forest tree and liana species are needed to provide their year-round requirements. India is home to nine species of hornbills, of which two are endemic. India is positioned between two bio-geographic realms, the Afro-tropical and Indo-malayan.

India has nine hornbill species, of which four are found in the Western Ghats: Indian Grey Hornbill (endemic to India), the Malabar Grey Hornbill (endemic to the Western Ghats), Malabar Pied Hornbill (endemic to India and Sri Lanka) and the widely distributed but endangered Great Hornbill. India also has one species that has one of the smallest ranges of any hornbill, the Narcondam Hornbill, found only on the island of Narcondam.

Hornbills Threatened in India

The Rufous-necked Hornbill is listed as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN, while the Great Hornbill, Brown Hornbill and the Malabar Pied Hornbill are listed under the Lower risk/Near threatened category. Other Hornbill species in India are listed as 'Least Concern'. Ten globally threatened Hornbill species, of which two species occur in India, the Rufous-Necked Hornbill and the Narcondam Hornbill, while three species Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill and the Brown Hornbill are listed as 'Near threatened'.

Six species of hornbills are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of India (1972), the Great Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Narcondam Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill and the Brown Hornbill. Surprisingly, the endemic Malabar Grey Hornbill and the generally rare Malabar Pied Hornbill are not listed in any Schedule.

Hornbills used to be hunted for their casques — upper beak — and feathers for adorning headgear despite being cultural symbols of some ethnic communities in the northeast, specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh. But a 20-year-old conservation programme entailing the use of fibre-glass beaks defused the threat to the birds to a large extent.

Illegal logging, however, has led to fewer tall trees where the birds nest. While the protected areas such as Pakke are better guarded, the forests are often under pressure due to agricultural expansion, conversion to plantations or logging.

Conservation Initiatives

In the Western Ghats, a conservation program is underway for the last decade in the Vazhachal forests in Kerala to monitor and protect Great Hornbill and Malabar Pied Hornbill nests with the Kadars, a local tribal community.

In north-east India, the Hornbill Nest Adoption Program to protect Hornbill nests and habitat in reserve forest areas outside the Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh has been initiated from 2011.

In Arunachal Pradesh, a program to distribute artificial Great Hornbill beaks (fiberglass substitutes) in 2004. This has created awareness among many community members in some areas in Arunachal Pradesh. The program was an initiative of the Wildlife Trust of India and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department.

Conclusion

Several zoos are involved in supporting Hornbill research and conservation in the wild in different ways apart from education activities. Apart from this, a better documented conservation initiatives give visible results, also efforts should be perform to include locals in the conservation programme to protect the hornbills. Simultaneously put ban on hunting of hornbills along with other wildlife and the imposition of fines by local village councils and community members.

Connecting the Article

Question for Prelims

Pakke Tiger Reserve is located in

(a) Kerala
(b) Assam
(c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Manipur

Question for Mains

‘Loss of natural habitat is the greatest cause of biodiversity degradation.’ Comment