Dr Vijak Chimchome
KUCHING: Action will be taken against those found to have harmed or killed hornbill and any other wildlife.
Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) acting deputy manager Oswald Braken Tisen said
this when responding to an issue on cultural impact to hornbill conservation during a conservation talk held at University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) in Kota Samarahan
here yesterday.
It was highlighted during the talk that parts of hornbill are used to make headgear by the natives in Sarawak.
“So far, no major cases such as killing of hornbills have been reported. But we will take action against offenders under the Wildlife Protection Act,” he said.
“We have started several initiatives including organising workshops to educate people about hornbill conservation as we believe public involvement play a crucial role to enhance awareness. This will make people learn to appreciate hornbills and other wildlife,” he added.
“We also have honorary wildlife rangers keeping watch. While we understand that some longhouses may keep such artifact, we let them keep what they have in their possession and tell them not to kill new ones,” he further explained.
On the population of hornbills in Sarawak, Tisen said they are still healthy despite the threats so numerous protection and conservation efforts are being carried out.
Meanwhile, guest speaker professor Dr Vijak Chimchome from Thailand shared the hornbill conservation and management carried out in Thailand for the past 30 years. In his talk, he said there are 13 species of hornbills in Thailand and from the total, two species are critically endangered, two vulnerable species and four near threatened.
“Thailand has lost more than 40 per cent of hornbills from1961 to 2013 leaving only less than 18 per cent of fragmented and scattered habitat,” he pointed out.
Dr Vijak who is the head of Forest Biology Department in Kasetsart University, Thailand mentioned that conservation was carried out in several sites including Khao Yai National Park and Budo Sungai Padi National Park.
On threats to hornbills besides poaching and land encroachment, he said nature also determines the survival of the hornbills.
“Hornbills cannot breed without suitable natural holes in the trees. Studies and research indicate shortage of nest cavity,” he explained.
“To remedy the problems, we need to improve or fix the existing nest cavity such as filling soil, create a perch setting, and enlarge closed entrance,” he said.
That apart, Dr Vijak highlighted that they have also created artificial nests which were installed on suitable trees to allow hornbills to breed in them but success rate was low.
“Hornbills prefer to nest in dense forest,” he said. Other conservation efforts initiated include community based programme and education as well as hornbill family adoption programme,” he said.
“So far, there are 1,774 nests adopted with 54 per cent by Thais and 46 per cent by foreigners,” he said.
“We hope for more collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers in future as well as to build our capacity for hornbill conservation recovery plan,” he concluded.