MNS Kuching, SFC join hands in hornbill conservation project

KUCHING: In an effort to preserve the precious hornbill species in Sarawak, the Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) revealed they have joined forces with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) in a conservation project spanning over several years.

The initiative, which commenced in 2021 and is slated to continue until 2024, began with rapid assessments of hornbill populations across eight key sites in the state.

Eventually, the focus shifted to a comprehensive three-year project in Usun Apau National Park, aimed to safeguard these majestic birds and their habitats.

The impetus for this ambitious endeavour stemmed from the recognition of the critical role hornbills play in the ecosystem, coupled with a dearth of conservation studies dedicated to these iconic avian species, both locally and globally.

“Despite Malaysia being home to 10 species of hornbills, only eight are found in East Malaysia, specifically in Sabah and Sarawak.

Notably, the Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) holds the distinction of being the State Bird of Sarawak.

“However, species like the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) and the Plainpouched Hornbill (Rhyticeros subruficollis) are absent from East Malaysia, leading to occasional misrepresentations of hornbill species in local imagery,” said MNSKB in a statement yesterday.

Beyond their ecological significance, MNSKB said hornbills hold deep cultural significance among indigenous communities in Sarawak, prominently featuring in rituals, ceremonies and festivals.

Recognising their importance, all hornbill species are legally protected under the Sarawak Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998; yet, despite Sarawak’s moniker as the ‘Land of Hornbills’, comprehensive data on their distribution and population within the state remains scarce.

“Previous studies primarily focused on cultural aspects or specific locations, such as the Miri division or western Sarawak. The newfound collaboration between SFC and the Hornbill Research Foundation of Thailand marks a significant step forward in hornbill conservation efforts,” said MNSKB.

In the statement, MNSKB also revealed that a five-year collaboration (2018-2022), which focused on key research areas such as nesting behaviour, breeding grounds, population distribution and food sources, was carried out under the Sarawak Hornbill Conservation Programme, operating within the Research for intensified Management of Bio-rich Areas (RIMBA) platform.

Following their collaboration with SFC and having collected the data in 2021, MNSKB went on to publish an article assessing the distribution of hornbills and identifying important hornbill landscapes in Sarawak.

The article led to the publication of ‘Identifying Important Hornbill Landscapes in Sarawak, Malaysia’.