Oriental pied hornbill on decline

12:00 AM, March 07, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, March 07, 2018

Loss of forest habitats, food shortage threaten the large-beaked bird in Bangladesh

Mintu Deshwara, Moulvibazar

Noted for its exceptionally beautiful large beak, oriental pied hornbill sees a gradual decrease in our country mainly due to gradual loss of dense forests.  

“Only ten years ago, one would often come across this bird and hear its call in Lawacherra forest. But they are rarely seen now,” said Swapan Deb Sajal, director of Sreemanagl-based Bangladesh Bonyo Prani Seba Foundation, an organisation working for wildlife care.

“The birds have distinct yellow beaks. Their body is deep black. But the abdomen and tail is white,” he said.

“Oriental pied hornbill is hunted for the huge beak and big feathers. Besides, some unscrupulous kabiraj (herbal practitioner) in the rural areas use it for treatment of diseases,” he said.

“Locally called 'kao dhanesh', the bird measures 55 to 60 centimetres in length, and its scientific name is anthracoceros albirostris. Eminent bird researcher Salim Ali mentioned the bird in his book,” said Dr Monirul H Khan, professor of zoology at Jahangirnagar University.

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Jurong Bird Park releases more hornbills on Pulau Ubin

Three more captive-bred Oriental Pied Hornbills were released into the wild on Wednesday, in a bid by the Jurong Bird Park to diversify the giant bird's genetic pool. "Increasing (the genetic pool)...is important to the conservation of the species because it allows for a healthier population of these birds. With more genetic diversity, the species is less susceptible to diseases," said Dr Minerva Bongco-Nuqui, avian curator at the Bird Park.

The birds had been fed whole fruit weeks prior to their release onto Pulau Ubin, to acclimatise them. They were then given a thorough health check on Monday, and measured for research purposes.

Since 2009, the Bird Park has released nine birds from its collection onto Pulau Ubin and the mainland. There are today about 100 hornbills here, up from an estimated 20 in 2004. The species - once common here - had vanished with urbanisation in the 1920s, but returned in the mid-1990s.

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