Ching (left), the new addition to the Oriental Pied Hornbill family at PNR spotted with papa Jimmy three days ago by PCMNPS member Phui Chun Hua.
MIRI: Juliet, the iconic mama hornbill at Piasau Nature Reserve (PNR), has produced another offspring named Ching and they both fledged on Jan 27.
This brings to three her offsprings with papa hornbill Jimmy. The first two offsprings were named Cecilia and Musa.
According to Musa Musbah, the Honorary Forest Ranger for PNR, with the addition of Ching, the current population of the Oriental Pied Hornbills, a totally protected bird at the Nature Reserve has increased to 23.
However those frequently sighted at PNR apart from Jimmy and Juliet are Anthony, Alice, Musa, Cecilia and Ching, and they too had frequently been spotted at the housing estates at Pujut 7 and Pujut 3.
“We hope that the people will continue to appreciate these hornbills and other wildlife at the nature reserve otherwise they will become extinct, as normally the hornbills have either one or two offsprings in each nesting cycle.
“Juliet from our record is not as productive as her mother Faridah who had two nestling cycles in a year.
“Thus Juliet’s next nestling is expected to be in November this year,” said Musa when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.
PNR spans some 88.5ha and also features 17 fauna species protected under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 45 bird species (including the iconic hornbills), three mammal species, five amphibian species, 12 reptile species, 10 butterfly species and 107 plant species.
Meanwhile, the Piasau Camp Miri Nature Park Society (PCMNPS) will hold a Chinese New Year Fellowship gathering next Saturday (Feb 20) at Piasau Boat Club, immediately after the monthly Hornbill Walk.
Participants interested to join the fellowship are urged to pay RM30 before Wednesday (Feb 17) to the organising chairman Rubiah Tani, who can be contacted at 016-8536008.
The walk is free of charge.