How are hornbills being conserved in North East India?

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Hornbills are one of the most magnificent birds present in the wild. Their distinctive appearance can be attributed to their black bodies with a white chest and the large, curved yellow beak with a casque on top in some species. There are about 62 species of hornbill, out of which nine are found in India. Their distribution includes tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, and Melanesia. Studies and research suggest that hornbills originally evolved in Africa and then entered Asia and Europe where they went extinct. They share a common ancestor with present day hoopoes from 75 million years ago. Most of the species spend their lives on treetops except for family Bucorvidae, which are ground-dwelling hornbills.

What are the nine species of Hornbill in India?

The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis)
Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus)
Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris)
Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus)
Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris)
Rufous Necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis)
Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)
Austen’s Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni)
Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami)

Where are hornbills found in India?

These species are distributed across the forests of Western Ghats, Himalayan forests, Karnataka, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The Indian Grey Hornbill and the Malabar Grey Hornbill are endemic to India. According to the IUCN red list 26 species of hornbills are listed as Globally Threatened or near threatened with extinction and the remaining 36 species are listed under Least Concern. So why do hornbills require conservation despite their comparatively passable status?

What is the ecology of hornbills?

Diet

In India, especially the north-eastern states, hornbills possess great cultural value. The Great Hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and is of great significance to neighbouring states as well. They are the largest fruit eating birds found in Asian forests. The natural habitat of species is heavily dependent on the kind of fruit trees found in different areas. 75-100% of their diet consists of fruits, the rest feed on animals as well, though they are not as common.

They prefer black or red fruits and generally do not feed on fruits smaller than 1cm. They feed on different fruits to make sure they get adequate amount of nutrients. Since they spend almost all their time on treetops, they reside in tree hollows. They make nests in these hollows during mating season. Hornbills cannot make holes themselves, therefore they look for hollows made by woodpeckers or natural cavities formed when a branch breaks off.

Breeding Ecology

The breeding cycle of species found in India range from 90 to 130 days. The female usually lays 2 eggs and remains in her hole for 3-4 months which can vary from species to species. The females seal the holes with droppings and sometimes the male assists by bringing mud and small twigs. The male often brings fruits for the female during this period. They are able to store a considerable number of fruits in their throat pouch.

Once the chicks are big enough, the mother breaks the seal and exits the hole first, followed by the chicks a few days later. Ecologically, hornbills are called the ‘farmers of the forests’. According to studies conducted in Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Miao Reserved Forest and Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh, hornbills are very efficient seed dispersers. As they eat the fruit whole, the chances of fruits sprouting are higher, aided by the fact that they travel long distances before settling on trees ensuring widespread distribution.

What are the threats faced by hornbills?

Several reasons have contributed to their decline, but some of the major ones include, habitat loss, hunting and illegal wildlife trade. As is, hornbills are limited in distribution in India, with a couple being endemic. Their habitat specificity is very high, therefore any change in its landscape adversely affects these birds. With their diet primarily consisting of fruits, loss of specific species of trees can lead to lack of food. Diseases like casque infections and proventricular nematodiasis are also causes for decline. Unfortunately, hornbills are also hunted for different parts of their body. Their casques make a huge component of illegal wildlife trade. Their feathers are used for headgear. They are also poached for their meat for medicinal values.

*Traditional Nyishi tribe headgear made of hornbill beak (Image source: Wikipedia)*

Why Northeast India?

Northeast India is prey to illegal logging and ethnic conflict with regards to the hornbill. According to The Global Forest Watch Report in 2020, Arunachal Pradesh has lost 1110 sq. km of forest between 2002 and 2019. The hornbills that once thrived in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal have now reached worrying numbers. An integral component of conservation is involvement of local communities. Without participation and awareness on the locals’ side, success is not achievable.

The Nyishi community of Arunachal Pradesh were originally hornbill hunters and hunted them for their beaks which are used to make their traditional headgear. Though the hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh, the people were unaware of the threats that they themselves posed to these magnificent birds.

‘Hornbill Nest Adoption’ Programme

In an effort to conserve the hornbills of Northeast India, in 2012 a ‘Hornbill Nest Adoption’ Programme was initiated in a three-way partnership between Ghora Aabhe Society (council of Nyishi village headmen), the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department and the Nature Conservation Foundation. This programme makes uses of a concept called shared parenting- where the hornbills look after their chicks in nests and the Nyishi tribe who were originally hunters, now protect these nests from any kind of destruction. This has been done in the Pakke Tiger Reserve that is home to four hornbill species. This is an excellent example of community-based wildlife conservation.

Adoption of hornbill nests are open to public where an amount is paid annually which contributes to the Nyishi tribes’ remuneration. A three-day festival for hornbill conservation was celebrated in Pakke Tiger Reserve between 18^th and 20^th January 2022. The festival was aimed at introducing and educating the younger generations on the importance of hornbill conservation.

In conclusion, hornbills were, are and will always remain an important symbol of culture in India. Though their numbers are not as high as conservationists would like it, there is hope. Restoring habitats and lost populations are very much possible through effective tracking, sufficient data and most importantly community involvement.

Written by Manasa Ramesh

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