Keling. — photo courtesy of WS Huang.
MIRI: Piasau Nature Reserve (PNR) now has two new young Oriental Pied Hornbills with the fledging of two offsprings – Kumang (female) on Feb 26 and Keling (male) on Feb 27.
The new addition enhances the productivity and wildlife of the newly established nature reserve just a few minutes’ drive from Miri City.
The two young hornbills are the offspring of papa hornbill Jimmy and his new soulmate Juliet (mama hornbill).
According to Musa Musbah, a Sarawak Forestry Honorary Ranger – who is among those entrusted to do a study on the wildlife at the formerly known ‘Piasau Camp’, Kumang fledged on Feb 26, just a day later than the targeted 90 days since Juliet sealed herself in the cavity (of a tree) on Nov 26 last year.
“My prediction was based on studies conducted on Faridah (Jimmy’s first soulmate which was killed on Sept 26, 2013) with nesting periods between 85 and 115 days or average of 110 days.
“With this two young hornbills, PNR now has a total of 19 Oriental Pied Hornbill and we hope that Juliet will be as productive as Faridah, with the two seasons of nesting in a year – in May and November,” said Musa when contacted by thesundaypost yesterday.
On the decision to name them and give the Iban titles of Kumang (princess) and Keling (prince), Musa said it was to make it ring synonymously with the locals.
“We named 17 other hornbills for example in English, Malay and Chinese like Jimmy, Anthony, Faridah, Ah Kaw, Ah Moi while the owl was named Klaas in memory of the Shell staff who died in Ukraine.
Although Keling has a derogatory meaning (for Indian) in Peninsular Malaysia but here it is a noble title. Nature is universal and thus their names should be universal or 1World not just 1Malaysia or 1Sarawak,” he stressed.
Musa said with the new addition of the hornbills – classified as totally protected bird, PNR saw promising development of the wildlife there.
“Currently, PNR has 71 species of birds and recently added a Barred-Eagle Owl which is nesting.
“We hope especially Mirians will appreciate and help protect these wildlife for sustainable development,” said Musa who is also deputy chairman of the Piasau Camp Miri Nature Park Society (PCMNPS).
Among the wildlife found in PNR are five species of frogs, two species of monitor lizards, six species of snakes and a few new mammals like a mongoose, owl and eagle.