A juvenile Black Hornbill found abandoned in Piasau Nature Reserve.
MIRI: A young hornbill was found abandoned at Piasau Nature Park (PNR) here on Sunday.
PNR staff stumbled upon the bird along the community trail of the nature reserve during a routine patrol in the afternoon, revealed Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) yesterday.
“It appears that the hornbill, a juvenile Black Hornbill, had been abandoned by some individual, judging by the traces of fruits left behind.
“The hornbill was very weak and unable to fly when found,” said SFC in a media statement.
The hornbill is currently being kept at the reserve’s facility and under close watch by the management team pending next course of action.
“On that note, the management wishes to urge members of the public to hand over any wild animal found or kept in their possession to the management of PNR instead of releasing them directly to PNR forest,” it added.
SFC emphasised that hornbills are classified as totally protected animals under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998 and Section 29 (1)(c) of the ordinance clearly spells out that those in possession of such animal shall be guilty of an offence, which carries a penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of RM20,000.