Updates from the Field No. 7 July - December 2014 (Double Issue)

Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641 Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Editor’s Desk

The year 2014 has ended and it would be best . remembered as a mixed bag of marbles for the Project. We have been able to push ourselves to continue performing as best possible in the field to document some ecological aspects of Belum-Temengor’s and in reaching out to different stakeholders from the young to policy/decision-makers to () conservationist/researchers globally. In that respect, we were ‘rewarded’ with another good year in locating more new nests, gained insights into little known, rarely seen hornbill behaviours and general ecology, successfully field-tested new technology, continued to promote citizen science (in monitoring Plain-pouched Hornbills) and foster working relationships with various Orang Asli in the landscape. And to cap it off, this Project reached a 10-year milestone as it began in 2004.

However, we were also surprised by the ‘disappearance’ of the Plain-pouched Hornbills as no individuals performed its annual flyovers at Kampung Tebang during the MNS Hornbill Volunteer Programme period in August and September. There was no

indication that such incident would occur in 2014 although numbers were depressed in 2013. It was not a complete ‘disappearance’though, as very small flocks were recorded at different parts of Belum-Temengor. The artificial flooding of Belum-Temengor just before the year ended was another unforeseen incident. The Temengor lake has risen in the past, but the sheer volume of water during the Christmas week rains smashed the previous record and wreaked havoc in many Orang Asli villages in the landscape. Even Kampung Chuweh and Tebang were not spared. Some homes were partially or completely submerged, including our volunteer hall. Nevertheless, MNS with support from various contributors and conservation colleagues, we managed to provide some basic aid relief to several villages in Temengor. We will continue to monitor the situation as the water recedes (we hope!) and see how best to help in reconstructing back their lives.

The end of 2014 also marked the end of Yayasan Sime Darby’s (YSD) financial support to this Project after 30 months. Thanks to YSD as our Species Champion, MNS was able to advance the Project even further between 2012 till present (see our Update 1 and onwards). Nonetheless, MNS will be engaging YSD to seek continued support of this Project for the next 5 years and at the same time other potential donors as well. The MNS Hornbill Conservation Project is currently the longest running hornbill field project in and we hope to emulate the Hornbill Project in terms of longevity and achievements in order to ensure hornbills receive adequate conservation attention. Wish us luck for 2015 and beyond or better still, help us grow even more with your contributions and/or skills.

Yeap Chin Aik Editor

Cover Photo: A Male Wreathed Hornbill. Yeap Chin Aik/MNS HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 2 Field Update

2014 HORNBILL BREEDING SEASON A Year Of ‘Bushies’

The year 2014 was another amazing and fruitful year in locating new hornbill nests in Belum- Temengor. Our worries of a ‘low year’, due to the slow start in the first quarter, thankfully did not materialise. The long hours in the field by our team coupled with information from other Orang Asli via the Nest Reward Scheme paid off.

Between January and September, the total number of NEW nests located in Belum-Temengor Forest Complex was 21 belonging to seven species. The breakdown is as follows: Bushy-crested Hornbill (8), Rhinoceros Hornbill (4), Oriental Pied Hornbill (3), Black Hornbill (2), Great Hornbill (1), Wreathed Hornbill (2) and Helmeted Hornbill (1). Thirteen nests were located in Temengor, five in Royal Belum and three in Gerik Forest Reserve.

While nest-searching, we also continued to monitor some existing nests (discovered in previous seasons). These were the Oriental Pied (4), Black (1), Bushy-crested (3) and Rhinoceros Hornbills (2). Some of these hornbills completed their breeding process i.e. seal broken/chick(s) fledged between May and September.

In 2013, it was ‘raining’ Oriental Pieds, but 2014 was marked by ‘Bushies’. We hope in years to come, we will discover more nests of the Big 3 and other elusive hornbill species.

During surveys, fledged juvenile(s) with their parent e.g. Rhinoceros and Bushy-crested Hornbills were also seen at several locations, e.g. Sungai Halong area and Pulau Mara, indicating that (1) there are more nests that we have yet to discover in those areas, and (2) these areas are likely to have fulfilled their breeding needs, cultivating in a successful breeding season for those pairs.

MNS also received information that a villager in Kampung Seri Wangi in Royal Belum was keeping an Aceros chick. We visited the villager and confirmed that the Aceros chick (possibly Wreathed) was under his ‘possession’ and healthy at that time.

CHICK 2

LIM KIM CHYE / MNS

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 3 Field Update

YEAP CHIN AIK / MNS

YEAP CHIN AIK / MNS

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 4 Field Update

YEAP CHIN AIK / MNS

YEAP CHIN AIK / MNS

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 5 Field Update

DEMISE OF THREE NEST TREES (Photos: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS)

The euphoria of almost repeating the success in locating the same number of new hornbill nests in 2013 unfortunately was punctuated by the collapsed of three hornbill nest trees. One has been used consecutively for the past three years (2012-2014) while the other two were newly discovered in 2014. The loss of the former tree was particularly ‘painful’ as it had produced many interesting findings, it was the test subject tree which our team field-tested the first CCTV recording device in 2012. At that time, a pair of Wreathed Hornbills claimed the tree. The device successfully captured the emergence of the female hornbill and its fledged single chick, just before the batteries ran out the next day! Six months later, a group of Bushy-crested Hornbills claimed this tree and used it during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. We continued to use this tree and hornbill subject to field test the second prototype (i.e. HB-IRD) in 2014 with success.

The remaining two trees housed one (another) breeding group of Bushy-crested Hornbills (in Royal Belum) and Rhinoceros Hornbills (in Temengor) respectively. Upon investigation, these demises occurred during the last quarter of 2014 and were likely caused by internal tree rot (for two trees) and a fallen tree.

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 6 Field Update

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 7 Field Update

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 8 Field Update

HB-IRD GIVES ‘ACCESS’ INTO THE SECRET LIVES OF (NESTING) HORNBILLS Photos: HB-IRD/MNS

From July until August, we continued to field test the HB-IRD on two other hornbill species, i.e. the Black (July-August) and Helmeted (August only). Earlier, the HB-IRD captured feeding and nesting behaviours of the Bushy-crested Hornbill group which successfully fledged 4 chicks. However, one died shortly after that.

Likewise, when deployed at the Black Hornbill nest (after the Bushy), it captured remarkable footages of the male parent bird feeding a diversity of fruit/insect prey to the female and/or chick(s). This is the first time, to our knowledge, that a nesting Black Hornbill has been filmed in the wild. The Black Hornbill proved to be very sensitive which made field observations difficult despite camouflaging our observation location. The HB-IRD delivered the ‘goods’ and gave us the intimate peek into its daily nesting activities and even surprised us with certain behaviours such as returning with a tree bark/dried leaf which was then given to his captive mate.

After the Black Hornbills completed their breeding period, we tested the device on Helmeted Hornbills. We only managed to capture some feeding bouts before they too completed their nesting period.

With the proven success of the HB-IRD, we hope to be able to secure more funds in the near future to produce more units so that it can be deployed at several active hornbill nest trees simultaneously.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 9 Field Update

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 10 Field Update

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER

Flocking behaviour among hornbills can be usually observed after their breeding season at several forested river valleys, sometimes during as well, if we are fortunate. These groups are usually made up of sub-adults ,and non-breeding adults would also roost together in the evenings.

A group of Oriental Pied Hornbills (about 9 individuals) was seen at the ‘entrance’ of Sungai Gadong (Royal Belum) among a bamboo patch in an August evening. It was likely that the group used this patch as an evening/night roost as they were seen again the following early morning at the same spot. One of the individuals was seen to catch and consume a stick insect.

Along this same forest river valley (Sungai Gadong), we also documented a flock of Great (8 individuals) and Rhinoceros Hornbills (5 individuals). It was unclear if these two were associating with each other but they were observed in the same area at the same time.

Photo: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS

A group of at least 13 Oriental Pied Hornbills in Sungai Kenarong, Royal Belum.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 11 Field Update

EMPTY SKIES A Sombre Year For Plain-pouched Hornbills in Belum-Temengor (Photos: Thailand Hornbill Project)

The MNS Hornbill Volunteer Programme entered its seventh year in 2014. The 2013 season saw very few Plain-pouched Hornbills (PPHB) flew past Kampung Tebang, our field base, in August and CHICKSeptember. 1It was a ‘low year’ but it did not prepare us for what was to come in 2014. The usual preparations were made by the Kampung Tebang villagers and by early August, Mr Lim Kim Chye (Hornbill Volunteer Programme (HVP) field manager) was ‘embedded’ in the hall ready to welcome the first batch of volunteers.

Prior to the official start date of HVP, small groups of PPHBs had been spotted in the landscape in June/July thus as usual, we expected a steady build up in numbers as the days passed. However, by early August, there were no signs of PPHB filling the skies of Kampung Tebang. Yet we remained hopeful and silently reasoned that perhaps the PPHB would be ‘late’ this year. Each day passed uneventful during the HVP months as volunteers returned from monitoring sessions with zero dawn and dusk counts. It was clear by early September that 2014 would be an extraordinary year for PPHB in BTFC. For the first time since we started monitoring PPHBs in 2004, we had zero count at Kampung Tebang.

Many questions crossed our minds – did something disrupt their usual ‘migration’? What were those factors? Did they arrive at the Bang Lang National Park across our forest complex? It was most unusual. It also begets an important question, will they come back in 2015?

At present, it remained unclear why the 2014 PPHB season turned out as such. Our colleagues from the Thailand Hornbill Project (THP) confirmed that a few hundred PPHBs did spend some time at Bang Lang and lingered up to November. After the HVP period, MNS received some information from our Orang Asli field assistants thatMOM small numbers of PPHBs flew past Kampung Chuweh.

This year’s HVP outcome reinforced the fact that we need to initiate the monitoring of non-bird factors e.g. plant flowering and fruiting patterns, human activities etc, as well to determine the ‘pull/push factor(s)’ for PPHBs in this forest complex. However, we would also need to ramp up closer collaborations with the THP team to better understand the PPHB behaviour at the landscape level.

Will PPHB show up in BTFC in 2015? This will be a closely watched by MNS.

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 12 Field Update

PROTECT AT ALL COST Territorial Behaviour Of Nesting Bushy-crested Hornbills (Photos: Yeap Chin Aik)

While observing a newly-discovered Bushy-crested Hornbill nest in Royal Belum, we were given a full view of what happens when another hornbill (to its misfortune) flies too close to the nest tree in early June. The breeding period of this particular Bushy-crested Hornbill group was in full swing at CHICKthat time, with 1 several members of the group working very diligently searching for food for the alpha female and chicks. The nest tree was located not far from the flat river bank that was covered with pioneer shrubby plants. Opposite the riverbank was a small steep slope with forest cover behind it. We watched from the end of this slope.

At this time, the members of the group were perched close to the nest tree after having returned from a bout of foraging. A female White-crowned Hornbill flew in front of Bushy-crested nest tree which approached from behind us. The response from the group was almost immediate. Several members took flight and gave chase. The White-crowned flew as fast as it could away from the nest area as they snapped at her heels. She even dived among some trees in hopes of losing them. That strategy did not work as when she perched under some tree/foliage cover, the Bushy members perched nearby patiently. When she took off, they followed once more.

This time, the harassment was so intense that White-crowned flew low to the ground, almost 2 metres above. Perhaps out of desperation, she dropped to the shrubby riverbank for cover and waited. The Bushy members perched and watched. The White-crowned remained on the ground for roughly a minute or two before making a final run. The moment she took off, the Bushy members gave chase again. This time we lost sight of the chase as she flew into the forest cover, probably to join her mate that was heard calling a while ago.

For us observers, it was a rare glimpse into their world on how the territorial nesting Bushy-crested Hornbill group reacts to potential ‘hostiles’.MOM During the incident, I was taking photos furiously, but uncertain of its outcome. I was thus delighted upon checking that parts of the action were captured on film like a harried looking White-crowned in flight. I was almost certain that she looked back to see how close her ‘attackers’ were! Some of these scenes were shared below.

WCHB dashing for its dear life being pursued by the BCHB gang!

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 13 Field Update

WCHB flying very close to the ground.

CHICK 1

MOM

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 14 Field Update

WCHB dropped to the ground to avoid harassment.

CHICK 1

MOM

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 15 Field Update

CHICK 1

….while the BCHB mob perched close by, watching….

WCHB made a dash for it, after a brief respite.

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 16 Field Update

…and was immediately pursued and harassed by the BCHB mob again until they disappeared into the forest..

CHICK 1

MOM

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 17 Field Update

The last of its pursuers….

CHICK 1

MOM

CHICK 2

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 18 Field Update

FLOODING (ARTIFICIAL) IN BELUM-TEMENGOR (Photos: Yeap Chin Aik)

It was a flood that no one had predicted. The water level of Temengor lake usually goes up during rainy periods and the locals do not usually bat their eyelids. However, the rain during the 2014 Christmas week brought a whole new perspective to the word ‘flooding’ on Temengor lake (and misery as well). Almost all villages in Belum-Temengor were affected in various degrees of severity – homes/village halls were partly or completely submerged, access road cut off and lives disrupted. We received news about this devastation from one of our Orang Asli (OA) field assistant in CHICKKumpung Chuweh 1 two days after Christmas. We sought help from friends/colleagues where possible and headed for Kumpung Chuweh the following week to provide immediate flood relief aid.

The scene that greeted us at Banding jetty was deceptive. That morning, the lake looked calm, albeit ‘expanded’, and in some ways appeared normal. However, as soon as we reached Kumpung Chuweh, the reality of the situation became profound. Kumpung Chuweh consists of three clusters – Chuweh 1 (where the MNS field house is located), Chuweh 2 and the Tok Batin’s family. Homes and a community hall were partly/completely submerged MOM

Top: Lake water almost reaching the bridge road.

Right: Current water level of the lake. It has erased the previous highest watermark – few years back, the highest water level reached the road of the old (now demolished) jetty area but never flooded the canteen or rumah menanti (waiting area/hut).

in the water. Those affected managed to saveCHICK most of their 2 belongings and shifted to higher ground temporarily. We managed to distribute the aid (basic food stuff and medicines) to all the families and offered to source more for them if needed. Our senior field assistant, Roslan Carang, would continue to update us on the situation. HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 19 Field Update

We returned the following week with more aid for other villages, thanks to generous contributions in kind and cash. With the help from other conservation colleagues from WWFM and MEME and 5 OAs from Kumpung Chuweh, we managed to distribute aid to four villages in Temengor; Pos Chiong, Kumpung Tebang Lama, Kumpung Tebang Baru and Kumpung Charokbus Lama. We also learnt that since our initial effort, more aid have been delivered to many OA villages in Royal Belum and Temengor by the government agencies, NGOs, religious groups and individuals. By this time, the water level had dropped at least 1m but nonetheless still quite high.

With the aid provided by many parties, the OAs are going about their daily lives as best possible. It CHICKwould take a1 while before the water level drops to a ‘manageable’ level and rebuilding can take place. MNS will continue to monitor the situation and provide some post-flooding reconstruction assistance as best possible then.

MNS would like to thank all the generous contributors (cash/in kind) for responding to the Orang Asli’s needs. Not forgetting the conservation colleagues from WWFM and MEME, who lent many helping hands and several Chuweh OAs too.

The construction area (on top of the old jetty) for new facilities now fully/partially underwater. Water level is nearing the police station (blue roof) as well. The highest building belongs to the Pulau Banding MOM Foundation.

Partially submerged homes in Chuweh 1.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 20 Field Update

Submerged home of Marisan Pandak, one of MNS field assistants in the hornbill project (Chuweh 1). He has temporarily moved into one of the village dewan.

Homes and a dewan at Chuweh 2 almost completely submerged as of to date (30 Dec 2014).

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 21 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

HORNBILL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 1st Royal Belum Bird Expedition

MNS assisted the Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC) and Tourism Perak to organise its first Royal Belum Bird Expedition from 5th-7th September. The ‘base camp’ for this event was located at the PSPC’s Sungai Tiang facilities. This 3 day-2 night event was intended to provide more exposure for the Royal Belum State Park as a destination for biodiversity viewing, especially for birds and hornbills. MNS gave the sole presentation during the event on 6th September, where two short video clips (Bushy-crested and Black Hornbills breeding) taken from the HB-IRD recordings were shown for the first time to the public. The MNS President opened the event while the Perak State Exco for Health, Tourism and Culture YB Dato’ Nolee Ashilin Mohd. Radzi closed the event. She was also shown the video clips and was impressed with the quality.

Photo: MalaysianInsider

Photo: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 22 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

REACHING OUT TO A GLOBAL CONSERVATION/ORNITHOLOGICAL AUDIENCE

In August 2014, MNS had the opportunity to introduce its hornbill conservation work in Belum-Temengor and the Hornbill Triangle (HoT) concept to the larger global audience of ornithologists and conservationists in the 26th International Ornithological Congress (IOC). This event held once every four years, this year it took place in the beautiful campus of Rikkyo University in Tokyo. Our paper entitled “The Hornbill Triangle (HoT): Securing a future for hornbills in large forest complexes in southern Thailand and north Peninsular Malaysia” was accepted by the IOC’s scientific committee as a poster.

This paper also piqued the interest of the International Ornithologists’ Union’s Hon. Secretary Prof. Dr. Dominique Homberger (USA). When she visited the posters, she suggested that we should look into the possibility of buying up land for conservation. This quadrennial international conference provided valuable exposure to MNS and offered the opportunity to socialise the Hornbill Triangle to the international audiences. The Congress was attended by ca. 1,200 participants from 64 countries. More than 900 papers for symposia, orals and posters were presented. Apart from our paper, there were only two other “hornbill papers” from Thailand and the Philippines respectively.

One of the main entrance buildings in Rikkyo University in Tokyo. The university is well known for its ornithological research and studies.

(Photo: Juan Carlos Tecson Gonzalez) HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 23 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

CAPACITY-BUILDING PARTNERS Training Government Agencies In Hornbill Conservation

MNS first conducted a training workshop for our government project partners in 2010 at Pulau Banding. It was well received and the participants requested similar workshop(s) to be conducted in future but with longer field sessions. We were encouraged by the feedbacks but it was only four years later that we were able to organise another one, due to lack of resources (financial, expertise etc.).

In October 2014, we conducted a 4 day-3 night workshop at Pulau Banding and used Belum- Temengor as our field demonstration site. A total of 17 participants from PERHILITAN, Perak State Parks Corp (PSPC) and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC). The workshop was led by five experienced MNS bird conservation trainers, three invited resource persons (MNS Miri Branch, Indonesian Hornbill Society and Haribon Foundation) and our three Chuweh Orang Asli field assistants.

For the classroom sessions, the participants were exposed to hornbill identification by morphology, calls and flight silhouette, basic hornbill breeding and feeding ecology and survey techniques. In the hornbill conservation lecture, En Musa Musbah gave an account of how the MNS Mrii Branch and local community lobbied and advocated the local and State Government to protect Piasau Camp where Oriental Pied Hornbills have been found nesting in the area. En Yok Yok Hadiprakarsa of the Hornbill Conservation Society shared lessons learnt from conserving hornbills in a fragmented landscape in Sumatra. Mr David Quimpo from Haribon Foundation presented the organisation’s efforts in conserving endemic Philippine hornbills.

Trainees and trainers

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 24 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

They were then brought to several locations in Royal Belum and Temengor as part of the field sessions and were shown the hornbill nest trees. They also experienced first hand the challenges of locating hornbills in the wild as they tried out basic survey techniques.

Before the workshop ended, we sought to better understand our government partners’ current hornbill conservation work, if any, and what do they plan to do in the near future under their respective jurisdiction and available resources. PSPC hopes that they can continue to work with MNS to further the hornbill conservation in Royal Belum and welcomes the continuation of the project. PERHILITAN hopes to initiate a specific hornbill conservation project such as population study in their protected areas. SFC has initiated their hornbill conservation efforts since 2012 after a state-level workshop that adopted an 8 point resolution. They also plan to hold a National Hornbill Conference in 2015 and the International Hornbill Conference in 2017.

Pak Yoki speaking about fragmentation and its impacts on hornbills.

Our trainees from Sarawak Forestry Corp were very excited. Wonder why?

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 25 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

Because they saw, for the first time, a pair of Great Hornbills which are not found in Borneo. They were also very fortunate to see this pair investigate a potential nest hole in Royal Belum.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 26 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS 1st Forest of Hope Malaysia Forum . (Photos: Sze Ming Hui/MNS)

The inaugural one-day Forum was held on 27th October 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, to discuss the conservation future and direction of Belum-Temengor Forest Complex (BTFC) and to outline MNS’ vision (and hope!) for our 1st Forest of Hope site i.e. BTFC. It was organised by MNS and BirdLife International with the support from Yayasan Sime Darby and was attended by over 70 participants from the Federal and State government agencies, research think-tanks, universities, BirdLife International partner organisations and Asia Secretariat, NGOs/foundations and MNS members.

The Forest of Hope (FoH) is a BirdLife International Programme that concentrates on tropical forests because of its exceptional conservation importance and the high level of threats it faced. This Programme brings together and builds on the Partnership’s vast experience, linking forest conservation on the ground to policy and advocacy work at national and international levels and delivering impacts in three crucial areas (1) conserving and restoring globally significant natural forests, (2) combating climate change and (3) benefitting local people. A key programme target is the prevention of deforestation and the restoration of natural forest, covering at least 1 million hectares of tropical forest by 2020. An FoH site is nominated by the respective BirdLife partner organisations to be part of this global programme, which then develop projects to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest use; by piloting innovative management, finance and governance systems. For Malaysia, MNS and BTFC are part of the Asian FoH network, which includes Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Mr Muhammad Zaki Bin Mohd Saman (NCIA)

Dr Sultana Bashir (BirdLife International)

Puan Hajjah Yatela Zainal Abidin Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor (MNS) (Yayasan Sime Darby)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 27 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

Group photo of Forum participants.

Our MNS President gave the opening speech followed by Dr Sultana Bashir from BirdLife Asia Secretariat, who introduced the FoH programme to the audience. Invited BirdLife partner organisations from Indonesia (Burung Indonesia), Philippines (Haribon Foundation), Cambodia (BirdLife Cambodia Programme) and Vietnam (Viet Nature Conservation Centre) presented their current progress at their respective FoH sites, Dr Shawn Lum (BirdLife Asia Council Chairperson/Nature Society ) chaired the session on lessons learnt and caution. MNS also participated in this session.

The afternoon session, chaired by Prof. Emeritus Dato Dr Abdul Latiff Mohamad, covered presentations by several key stakeholders of BTFC i.e. PERHILITAN, Perak State Parks Corp, Forestry Department, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), Yayasan Pulau Banding and Yayasan Sime Darby which covered current projects/programmes/policies that is being implemented on this forest complex.

The two sessions of presentations set the scene for the main activity of the Forum; a discussion on the conservation and protection of BTFC and its future path which was jointly moderated by Dr Shawn Lum and Prof. Emeritus Dato Dr Abdul Latiff Mohamad. The discussion elicited lively exchanges among the participants on several issues. Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor was invited by the joint chairs to close the Forum. He thanked the speakers and audiences for their participation, passion and interest in seeing BTFC making the best efforts in conserving it. He also urged everyone to work together to make this vision happens.

A short 3 day-2 night post-forum site visit to BTFC was also arranged for BirdLife delegates to showcase our FoH site and hornbills (and other flora and fauna).

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 28 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

EDUCATION WORK

Education/awareness activities for schools was temporarily halted in July due to the fasting month and Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. The education team was back in action in August and continued until November. Eight outreach sessions and two camps (in Belum-Temengor) were organised in that three- month period.

Venue: SK Khir Johari, Sungai Petani (Kedah) Venue: SK Pinang Tunggal, Kepala Batas (Kedah) Date: 7 August 2014 Date: 11 August 2014 Participants: 108 students Participants: 164 students

Venue: SMK Tengku Suleiman (Perlis) Date: 13 August 2014 Participants: 69 students

Programme: Hornbill Conservation Awareness Camp Venue: Pulau Tali Kail Date: 26-28 August 2014 Participants: 57 students, 13 teachers, 12 Pusat KoKurikulum officers, 2 student facilitators Institut Perguruan (IPG) Ipoh, Perak SMK Abu Bakar Al-Baqir, Perak Sek. Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Perak SMK Dato’ Kamaruddin, Perak SMK Convent Taiping, Perak SMK Ave Maria Convent, Perak SMK Kampung Pasir Puteh, Perak SMK Perempuan Methodist Ipoh, Perak SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Perak SMK Pinji, Perak SMS Bagan Datoh, Perak SMK Bukit Indah, Selangor SMK Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh, Selangor SMK Abdul Jalil, Selangor SMK Seri Indah, Selangor SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Selangor SMK (P) Raja Zarina, Selangor SMK Bukit Jelutong, Selangor SMK Jugra, Selangor SMK Batu Laut, Selangor SMK Rantau Panjang, Selangor SMK Jeram, Selangor SMK Darul Ehsan, Selangor SMK Jalan Empat, Selangor

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 29 Communications, Education, Participations & Awareness

September Venue: Mutiara Semenyih Eco Resort & Training Centre Date: 15 & 17 September 2014 Participants: 455 participants

Venue: Pusat Kokurikulum Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang Date: 22 September 2014 Participants: 276 students

October Venue: SMJK Pei Hwa, Muar Date: 30 October 2014 Participants: 306 participants

November Venue: SK Jeram Date: 6 November 2014 Participants: 96 participants

Venue: Sungai Kenarong Base Camp, Gerik Program name: Hornbill Youth Camp Date: 17-19 November 2014 Participants: 57 participants

Venue: MNS Nature Education Centre (NEC) and KL Bird Park Program Name: I Love Hornbill Date: 22 November 2014 Participants: 18 kids, 5 parents

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 30 Local News

HORNBILLS INSPECT NEST BOXES IN KINABATANGAN

Pied Hornbills have been seen entering a nest box that was installed in the Bornean rainforest in late 2013. The hornbill nest box programme is managed by staff of Hutan, World Land Trust’s (WLT) partner in Malaysia.

“We still don't have any firm evidence that hornbills are using the nest boxes,” said Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, Co-Director of Hutan, in February 2014, “however a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills have been spotted several times inspecting one artificial nest and even going inside for a short while.”

The sightings were recorded by fishermen and by research assistants at Hutan’s Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project.

Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is home to all eight species of hornbills found in Borneo including Helmeted Hornbill and Rhinoceros Hornbill. The birds rely on the large, natural holes of mature trees in which to build their nests and fledge their young. The problem is, there are no longer enough suitably mature trees for hornbills to nest in, and there are signs that hornbill numbers are declining as a result.

Zoo keepers join the team

Chester Zoo is a partner of Hutan (and also supports WLT). In September 2013, Paul Morris and Wayne McLeod from Chester Zoo visited Kinabatangan as part of a pre-arranged visit. They were joined by two keepers from Zoo Parc Beauval, and the timing was perfect. Hutan staff were keen to launch the hornbill nest box programme and the keepers’ arrival provided the necessary incentive. In a week, five nest boxes were built and four are already set up in the forest. This is a great achievement because the nest boxes weigh between 40 and 50 kilograms and have to be positioned in trees at more than 20 metres above the ground.

After the event Paul said: “It was a fantastic experience to be working in Sabah, and the fact that two more nest-boxes have already been sited shows what a hardworking and committed team Hutan has in Sukau! Considering it was the first hornbill nest box set up, I think we achieved a lot, and hopefully the project will run and run and we will get a better understanding of what needs to be done in the future.”

At the outset of the project, it wasn’t clear what kind of equipment and material would make the most suitable nest box for the wild hornbills. After some brainstorming and shopping in Sandakan (nearest city) the team decided to use plastic drums covered with polystyrene and concrete. “We will of course keep on monitoring the nests in order to document their potential use,” said Marc, adding: “This year (2014) we are going to set up new boxes with a different design to diversify the choice offered to the birds.”

Installing nest boxes for hornbills is a temporary measure necessary only until the forest trees that are being replanted in degraded areas grow to maturity. --World Land Trust. 6 March, 2014. (http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2014/03/hornbills-inspect-nest-boxes)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 31 Local News

Star News also mentioned this event on the same day:

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 32 Local News

RARE FIND OF BABY HORNBILL IN TOWN AREA

SIBU: With the population of Sarawak’s iconic hornbill slowly depleting, seeing the bird in the town area is certainly an eye-popping happening.

Nature lover Lai Lee Siew, who holds a “Friends of the Forestry Department” certificate said it is extremely unusual to find a hornbill in a concrete jungle and especially in a densely human populated area.

He was, therefore, surprised when a houseowner at Jalan Pedada called him on Thursday to say he had stumbled upon a baby hornbill on the upper-floor verandah of his two- storey home.

The bird did not put up any struggle when the man walked up to catch it.

Lai, who is licensed to catch exotic , including those deemed protected species, said he would keep the captured hornbill in a cage for a few days before surrendering the bird, together with several pythons and cobras, to the Forestry Department.

”I am feeding it with fruits, such as banana and papaya,” he said, disclosing that the bird is one of eight types of hornbill listed in the department and variedly known as the Asian Black Hornbill, Malaysian Black or Black Hornbill. Its scientific name is malayanus.

A medium-sized bird would be about 75cm long, with white-tipped outer tail feathers and proportionally large casque (the bird’s helmet-like head covering). The male birds, sometimes, have a white stripe from its eye to the nape.

The Black Hornbill is a rather uncommon sight in lowland primary and logged forests or in swamp forests. It is, like other exotic animals and birds, listed under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998. It is an offence to keep them and for this one can face up to RM25,000 fine and two years jail. -- Andy Chua. The Star. 14 October, 2014. (http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/10/14/Rare-find-of-baby-hornbill-in-town- area/)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 33 Local News

17 PROTECTED WILD BIRDS SEIZED IN RAID

IPOH: The Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has seized 17 protected wild birds, valued at about RM20,000, from a self-employed man in Batu Kurau, Kerian.

State Perhilitan director Fakhrul Hatta Musa said the birds – seven White-rumped Shama (murai batu), three Blue-winged Leafbirds (burung daun sayap biru), five Lesser Green Leafbirds, a Stripe- throated Bulbul (burung lureh leher) and a Hill Myna – were found following a raid at the man’s home at Kampung Air Hitam Jelai at about noon on Tuesday.

“Our officers have been monitoring the place for about a week. “Our investigations show that the 50-year-old man does not have any official documents to keep the birds,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“We believe the birds were meant to be sold at markets,” he said, adding that the birds, along with the cages, had been taken to the Perhilitan office in Selama.

Fakhrul Hatta said the man could be charged under Section 60(1)(a) and 68(1)(a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 for having the birds in his possession.

For Section 60(1)(a), the offender can be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed not more than two years or both.

If found guilty under Section 68(1)(a), the offender can also be fined not more than RM100,000 or jailed a maximum of three years or both.

In Sibu, a baby hornbill that was caught by a houseowner in Jalan Pedada is believed to have been kept as a pet before it escaped. -- Ivan Loh and Andy Chua. The Star. 16 October, 2014. (http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/10/16/17-protected-wild-birds-seized-in-raid/)

In safe hands: Lai (left) handing over the baby hornbill to Nickson.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 34 Local News

Experiencing the vast green and blue landscapes of Royal Belum

Having no previous experience of camping or jungle-trekking whatsoever, I was unsurprisingly nervous and anxious about an impending two-night, three-day stay at the Royal Belum State Park to cover a hornbill expedition. Not knowing what to expect, but determined not to chicken out, I braced myself for the challenge ahead while praying hard that I wouldn’t encounter any leeches in my wake.

A short history on the Royal Belum State Park; located in the north-eastern region of Perak, bordering Thailand and Kelantan, the lush rainforest is over 130 million years old, and is even older than the Amazon and the Congo — making it one of the world’s oldest rainforests.

A sea of green carpet — with hundreds of thousands of trees lining the forest — it is home to numerous endangered species of animals, including the Malayan tiger and the white handed gibbon, to name a few. In the middle of the deep, unexplored rainforest is Lake Temenggor, Peninsular Malaysia’s second-biggest lake, after Lake Kenyir. It is perhaps the only part of Royal Belum where civilisation can be found.

While Royal Belum is protected by the state, its neighbouring forest — Temenggor — is not as fortunate. Situated directly below Royal Belum, the latter rainforest has been facing massive logging for the last several years. Non-governmental organisation, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) has always championed the conservation and preservation of the wildlife in both rainforests, while being vehemently vocal on MNS’ disapproval of the deforestation in Temenggor. The non- profit organisation is hoping that since Royal Belum is protected, the animals residing in Temenggor can eventually be encouraged to re-locate to Royal Belum before it’s too late.

“We have been campaigning against the logging at Temenggor and our aim is to expand the area of protection beyond Royal Belum,” says Andrew Sebastian, who is MNS’ communications head. The journey to Royal Belum State Park took close to six hours by bus and a new experience of staying in a boathouse on Lake Temenggor awaited us.

Male Black Hornbill in flight

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 35 Local News

This was a different trip as unlike usual tourist attractions where visitors are always welcomed; those intending to visit Royal Belum needed a permit first due to its strict protection laws. And access to the state park is made in such a way that any vehicle intending to enter the area would first have to make a stop at Pulau Banding, and access the man-made lake via a boat.

The Royal Belum Bird Expedition 2014: Exploring the Hornbill Capital was organised by MNS with the aim of raising awareness of the hornbill population in Royal Belum, as well as to educate the public about these magnificent birds that inhibit the forest.

While Sarawak owns the bragging rights for being a hornbill city, in actual fact, East Malaysia is home to only eight species of hornbills — less than the 10 that the peninsula, or more so, Royal Belum plays home to. Proudly labelled the “hornbill capital of the world”, the rainforest is home to the white-crowned hornbill, bushy-crested hornbill, wrinkled hornbill, wreathed hornbill, plain- pouched hornbill, black hornbill, Oriental pied hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, great hornbill and helmeted hornbill.

The hornbill expedition was MNS’ way of bringing to light how animals — birds, mammals and reptiles — are rapidly going extinct due to loss of habitat and nourishment, as is the case in Temenggor. Many, including myself at first, do not realise that with every tree being logged, the hornbill population is also felled. According to MNS hornbill expert Yeap Chin Aik, hornbills are vital creatures to the ecosystem.

“If their existence is disrupted, it will ultimately affect the whole food cycle,” he says.

Touching base with nature Upon arrival at Pulau Banding and boarding the boat house — measuring around 50ft long and two-storey high — which was stationed at the jetty — I was enchanted by how well it was maintained and clean. Furthermore, the owners of the boat were not only hospitable and gracious as they ensured that their guests were well-fed and were comfortable throughout their stay.

It was there that I met my fellow expedition members — who would later be my teammates — as well as a host of birdwatchers, volunteers and MNS members. After a briefing by Sebastian, we were on our way to the first expedition. August or early September is the ideal time to watch hornbills — which can be found in tropical countries — with it being fruiting trees season. At such, these colourful fowls will normally flock together for a roosting place.

After being divided into groups, we set off in a motorboat to an assigned area of the lake to begin bird watching. Hornbills feast on a diet of fruits — with figs being favourite — and small animals such as beetles, geckos and sometimes even snakes.

Spotting them is not as easy as one may think — even with binoculars as these animals are swift and wary of their surroundings. During the expedition, though many hornbills could be heard throughout the day, getting a proper glimpse of them was an arduous task. Since the bird watching was done in motorboats, the whirring sound of the boat more often than not over-shadowed the sound of the bird call.

If not that, most of the birds were scared away by the sound of the boat and the uncommon sight of human interaction. There were, however, a few bold fowls — not just the hornbill, but eagles and swiftlets — that stood patiently perched on a tree top while expedition members went up for a closer look, and even managed to snap some photos.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 36 Local News

The most common species of hornbill spotted was the black hornbill — distinct because of its white tail, as well as the rhinoceros hornbill — which makes its presence known by the galloping sound of its flapping wings. “The funny thing about these hornbills’ names, is that it doesn’t necessarily describe the appearance of the hornbill,” says avid bird watcher and MNS Selangor assistant coordinator Andy Lee. “Take the black hornbill for instance, it’s called the ‘black hornbill’, but it’s not fully black as one may think — half of its tail is white.”

It was a tad bit ironic that since Royal Belum is home to numerous birds and mammals, sightings of living things (other than fellow human beings) were scarce. During the expedition, apart from birds, only wild boars and monkeys were spotted from a distance, along with several elephant tracks near the waterfronts. It was explained to us later that with the depth of the rainforest, and sustained with lakes of its own, wild animals hardly make an appearance at Lake Temenggor, particularly due to the human activity on the lake.

Apart from the diversity of flora and fauna, Royal Belum and Lake Temenggor are also home to several Orang Asli families who have been residing in the rainforest long before any construction took place. Though it has strict policies against logging and hunting of any of the animals there, the Orang Asli are exempted, and they sustain themselves by hunting an assortment of animals, such as wild boars, fish and deer.

“We’ve had folks who saw a herd of elephants crossing the lake once to get to the other side of the forest, but that was luck. Elephants or most of the animals for that matter won’t make an appearance when there are human activities on the lake,” Sebastian explains.

After a much needed good night’s rest, we had an early start the next day for round two of the expedition. Though my team did not have much luck in spotting as many hornbills as we had hoped, another team managed to witness a flock of around 170 plain-pouched hornbills migrating to another area in the rainforest.

Lee enlightened us about the plain-pouched hornbills, explaining that these were the only species of hornbills that fly in huge numbers together — up to thousands — to find new homes. “When you see birds flying together, forming an upside down ‘V’ in the sky, it’s the plain pouched hornbills,” he said.

“For almost a decade, MNS has been trying in vain to track where exactly in Royal Belum these birds make their new homes, when they migrate. It’s impossible to know though as there’s no way to trail the birds and the option of installing a tracking device on them is out of the question.”

The day ended with a barbecue dinner treat for all the expedition members, and MNS president Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed could not have been more pleased with the turnout. “The more expeditions we do, the more knowledge we gain,” he told The Edge Financial Daily. “We try to pull in different experts from different areas when we do these expeditions,” the academician — who has been president since 2010 — added. “Obviously, we’d be thrilled to make Temenggor a protected area as well. That’s our objective.”

A once in a lifetime trip I was fortunate enough to experience — I started off the journey clueless of what to expect, but came back richer with knowledge and experience money can’t buy.

Vichitra Nades (The Edge Financial Daily) / First published: 29 September 2014 (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/features/article/experiencing-the-vast-green-and-blue- landscapes-of-royal-belum)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 37 Regional News

BORNEO’S NATURE AND CULTURE AT RISK DUE TO SALE OF MAGNIFICENT HORNBILLS

“Hornbill and Dragon, Arts and Culture of Borneo,” is a book by Bernard Sellato, one of Borneo’s most famous anthropologists. The title nicely captures the great reverence that Borneo’s indigenous people have for hornbills. These birds were once powerful omens that determined the lives of many people on the island.

For the Iban people of West Kalimantan and Sarawak, the hornbill took messages from the human world to the world of spirits. When people on Borneo saw a hornbill fly over, they would consider it either a good or bad omen depending on the direction of flight. And up until today, traditional dancers use hornbill feathers to mimic the flight of these birds, further suggesting the close connections between people and nature. Soon enough though, Borneo’s Dayaks may need to look for other symbols, because people are rapidly hunting hornbills to extinction.

Hornbills are large birds with oversized beaks and outrageous casques on top of those beaks. One theory goes that these massive bill structures evolved as part of sexual displays in which males could show females that they were powerful enough to function despite these totally clumsy appendices. Weird or what?

Hornbills are also unusual in their breeding behaviour. Females seek out hollows in large trees, where they make their nests. Once inside, they close off the opening, leaving only a narrow slit, so that neither can she get out nor predators come in. It’s JG Graphics/Josep Tri Ronggo the male’s task to supply food to keep the female and her young alive.

People have been hunting hornbills for millennia. Hornbills are large and with a rifle or blowpipe they are easy targets. Stuck in their nests, they are sitting ducks — although admittedly strangely shaped ones — and hunters can easily climb trees to catch the females and young. Their final ‘design fault’ is that these birds are really noisy, with, for example, the Helmeted Hornbill having a loud, raucous call, which some have described as “hoots followed by maniacal laughter.” So, their presence in a particular forest area is hardly a secret.

Traditionally the feathers of these birds were used in ceremonial clothing, the hornbill “ivory” for carving, and, with a body the size of a small chicken, they regularly ended up in the pot. Carvings of hornbill “ivory” over 2,000 years old have been found in Borneo, and Chinese carvings have been traced back to the 6th century A.D. The Chinese held the material in high regard, preferring it to real (rhino and elephant) ivory, and calling it “golden jade.”

Despite hunting for various purposes, most hornbill species remained relatively common until quite recently. When I was travelling on the large rivers of Borneo in the early 1990s, I often saw them fly overhead. Much has changed since then. Photo: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 38 Regional News

A few years ago, commercial traders started to specifically demand hornbill casques to feed an increasing demand, particularly from China, for hornbill ivory for medicinal purposes and carvings. This created significant additional pressure on many hornbill populations, and the hornbills are now rapidly disappearing from forest areas.

Hornbill casques and bills sell for between Rp 2 million and Rp 3 million (or around $250), making these beautiful and enigmatic birds a new favourite of local hunters. Groups of hunters as large as 60 people now roam the extensive and remote forest areas of central Borneo, listening out for hornbills and killing any that they can lay their hands on.

The amounts of birds involved are staggering. A recent confiscation in the Melawi district of West Kalimantan resulted in 229 hornbill heads, while in 2013 four Chinese nationals were apprehended at Soekarno-Hatta Interational Airport with 248 hornbill beaks in their luggage. I am sure, though, that much higher numbers slip through. It must be really easy to smuggle these hornbills along with other internationally traded bulk goods.

So far there has been little action by the government to combat this trade. There are no concerted efforts to document the scale of the problem and understand its dynamics. But if the authorities apprehended middlemen and traders, it would be easy to significantly reduce demand from hunters. Without anyone buying, people would soon stop making lengthy forest trips required to obtain these birds.

Also, the non-governmental sector seems to largely ignore the issue, although there are exceptions, with organizations such as TRAFFIC, Birdlife and the Wildlife Conservation Society drawing attention to the problem.

I have no doubt that most people would prefer to live in areas where the magnificent hornbills would still noisily fly overhead. But as with most natural resources, the greed of a few who benefit from the trade, and the total lack of commitment for effectively addressing the problem, could so easily end up with the loss of these cultural icons.

Concerted efforts could still prevent hornbill extinctions. If you see or hear of any hornbill heads for sale, take note of the details including name and address of traders, ask who is buying and for how much, and where hunters obtain the birds. Take photos if possible, and feel free to pass information on to me.

Solutions ultimately lie with the people who live alongside the hornbills. They need to decide what they want their future to look like. What we can do is to help them understand what choices they have and what means to influence the outcome of these choices.

It is possible to retain healthy and prosperous forest landscapes in Borneo with hornbills in the sky, but this requires major change in development thinking and much better management of environments and resources.

Erik Meijaard is a conservation scientist based in Jakarta. He coordinates the Borneo Futures — Science for Change research program. -- Erik Meijaard , The Jakarta Globe. 23 October 2014. (http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/opinion/borneos-nature-culture-risk-due-sale- magnificent-hornbills/)

Photo: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 39 Regional News

‘AMMU' MUM ON THE GREAT INDIAN HORNBILL

One would expect numerous awareness campaigns surrounding the conservation of the Great Indian Hornbill, now that it enjoys the unique status of being the mascot of the 35th National Games. However, the National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) has not organised an awareness campaign on the endangered species over the last two years.

In these two years, ‘Ammu, the Great Indian Hornbill’ has been touring hundreds of schools and reaching out to lakhs of people. But the message ‘Ammu’ has been spreading through the skit Kalikkunna Kuttikalkkayi Kathirikkunnu Bharatham is the importance of sports among school students. Recently, the skit had added a cameo - ‘Minnu’, the mascot of State Energy Management Centre, who advocates energy conservation.

However, the importance of ‘the Great Indian Hornbill’ and its endangered status, the reason why it was chosen as the mascot, is not mentioned anywhere in the script.

The NGOC had formed ‘Green Protocol Committee’ to ensure that the Games is eco-friendly. But the Great Indian Hornbill has never surfaced as a topic of discussion in any of its meetings.

B.S. Corrie, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), who is the co-chairman of the sub-committee said: “The sub-committee has been focussing on waste management. There will be provisions to discourage the use of plastic bottles and encourage recycling. Waste generation will be kept to a minimum.’’

He added that the sub-committee can ensure that information on the ‘Great Indian Hornbill’ is disseminated at the venues of the Games. The mascot was declared way before any of the committees were formed. In fact, the ‘Green Protocol Committee’ was formed only in the month of August.

For four months the committee members had not met, according to S. Faizi, who resigned from the committee the other day, reportedly unhappy with its functioning. Faizi, a member of the expert committee of United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, says that though the mandate of the sub- committee was the formulation and implementation of the green strategy of the games, its opinion was not sought while setting aside budget for the environmental activities.

Ideally, such a body should have been consulted during the construction of the stadiums, which are going to have environmental impact, he says. Unfortunately the sub-committee was formed only recently, he says.

The good news is that the number of the Great Indian Hornbill has increased in number from more than a 100 to more than 200 in the Vazhachal area over the last ten years. However this has little to do with Ammu.

The increase is the result of the silent and sustained work of the tribal community and the Forest Department in the area, with the technical support of an NGO called Western Ghats Hornbill Foundation. -- Archana Ravi, The New Indian Express. 17 January 2015. (http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Ammu-Mum-on-the-Great-Indian- Hornbill/2015/01/17/article2622220.ece)

Photo: Yeap Chin Aik/MNS HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 40 Regional News

RARE HORNBILL CHICK IS FIRST OF ITS KIND TO BE HATCHED IN EUROPE THIS YEAR

A new Papuan Wreathed Hornbill chick – believed to be the only one bred in a European zoo this year – can be seen by visitors to Newquay Zoo for the first time this week.

The chick, hatched on May 17th, has just fledged and been released into the Zoo’s main aviary (alongside the otter enclosure). The new addition to the Zoo is a major milestone in terms of the charity’s conservation breeding programmes as Asian

hornbills are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity.

The parent hornbills last produced chicks at Paignton Zoo in 2001 but no eggs were successfully hatched over the next 12 years. The pair was transferred to Newquay Zoo in December last year as it was hoped a change of environment might spur them to breed.

Keeper Gary Ward says: “We were on tenterhooks for a month after the female went into the nesting box. When we first heard the sound of a new born chick we were over the moon as it’s been so long since they produced any offspring.”

“This particular type of hornbill is incredibly difficult to breed in captivity. These birds are very particular about choosing the right mate and they’re extremely sensitive to any environmental changes.”

The parent hornbills adapted well to their new home in Newquay and it’s believed the mild winter may have helped create the right conditions leading to the hatching of the chick. The arrival of a healthy hornbill chick is important because it means invaluable knowledge, gained during the months leading up to and after it was hatched, can be shared globally with conservationists working to protect other vulnerable hornbill species.

While the Papuan Hornbill is not currently endangered, the expertise gained from breeding them will help to ensure the survival of species such as the Sulu Hornbill and Visayan Wrinkled Hornbill which face possible extinction due to hunting and habitat loss in their native Philippines. Gary hopes visitors to the Zoo will flock to the aviary to see the new baby hornbill but warns: “Don’t expect a tiny, fluffy chick. The hornbill chick is almost as big as its parents already with a very large bill!”

The sex of the new bird won’t be known for a while. It currently has pale brown feathers around its neck and face as the adult male has – if it turns out to be female, these feathers will start to turn black at around five months. --19 August 2014. New Quay Zoo. (http://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/news/details/new-hornbill-chick-is-first-to-be-hatched-in- the-europe-this-year)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 41 Regional News

HOOKED ON HORNBILLS

In Malaysia, forests that are older than the Amazon and the Congo continue to thrive and serve as habitat for rare species. One that is the world-known Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, which is the largest remaining contiguous block of natural forest in the country.

With this massive ecosystem, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) called on representatives from neighbouring countries to share information that is crucial to the conservation of the rare and beautiful birds—the hornbills.

At the heart of the Belum-Temengor, the MNS conducted a Hornbill Conservation and Training Workshop from October 13 to 16, as one of the capacity-building activities that supports many initiatives by the Hornbill Conservation Project of MNS with Birdlife International.

The workshop targeted the government agencies of Malaysia responsible for wildlife and forest conservation, and had indigenous groups living in these areas who participated in the workshop. Belum- Temengor Forest Complex is home to 10 species of hornbills recorded in Malaysia. One of the hornbill species is considered vulnerable, six are near threatened, and only three species are in stable condition. Habitat loss and hunting are the primary threats to these species. Though hornbill conservation in Malaysia is still in its infancy, this initiative is now gaining its attention locally.

To gain further ground, the MNS invited resource persons from Indonesia, the Philippines and Miri, Malaysia to share hornbill conservation work and information in different areas within the Southeast Asian region.

Haribon Foundation, the Birdlife partner in the Philippines, shared Hornbill conservation actions in the Philippines. Specifically with the study of the critically endangered Writhed-billed Hornbill, the rapid decrease of its population in Panay Island, and the conservation efforts done by Haribon for the protection of the said species and its natural habitat. Philippine biodiversity was also shared in the discussion, as well as how habitat loss affects biodiversity and is a threat to numerous threatened species in our country.

The workshop included discussions on the identification and conservation of local hornbills, the ongoing wildlife trade in Asia, and a lot of field activities for the participants to see and appreciate the hornbills in the wild. Local birdwatchers and some members of MNS volunteered to help in the field activities and in the identification of the hornbills observed in the area.

Towards the end of the workshop, the government agencies who attended shared their realizations of the importance of these species and why the need to protect them. They also realized the interconnectivity of biodiversity, their natural habitat, and the importance of other wildlife species to sustain life.

The government agencies made plans in response to hornbill conservation and protection in their specific fields. A lot of actions have to be made locally and globally. Everything in this world, big or small, is connected to each other and has a purpose to make the world a better place. --David Quimpo, Haribon Foundation November 24, 2014. The Manila Times. (http://www.manilatimes.net/hooked-hornbills/144053/)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 42 Regional News

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF HORNBILLS IN NORTHEAST INDIA

Hornbills are as peculiar, as they are magnificent. Their calls especially, can sound rather strange to the uninitiated—some grunt, some growl, and some cackle maniacally. These queer birds, with their large brightly-coloured curved beaks, and a distinctive cavity-nesting habit, are also totem animals for many tribes in India.

They are oddly fascinating. Yet, there is a lot about them that is still a mystery.

A new study, published in mongabay.com's open access journal Tropical Conservation Science, attempts to understand these birds a little better. A team of researchers from the Nature Conservation Foundation in Mysore, have examined variation in the densities of four hornbill species—Rufous-necked, Great, Weathed, and White-throated Brown Hornbills—in Namdapha Tiger Reserve in the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, for the white-throated brown hornbill (Ptilolaemus austeni), these density estimates are probably first of their kind.

Between 2009 and 2012, the team walked over 840 km (522 miles) in Namdapha, recording the number of individuals they saw of each hornbill species, while measuring the perpendicular distance to each flock. They used these measurements to arrive at the densities of each hornbill species within three different areas, each with a different elevation gradient (500m-1450m), and three different time intervals, all within the hornbills' non-breeding months (November-April).

By the end of their survey, they had spotted 79 flocks of Great Hornbills (Buceros bicornis), 188 flocks of Rufous-necked Hornbills (Aceros nipalensis), 150 flocks of Wreathed Hornbills (Rhyticeros undulatus), and 41 flocks of White-throated Brown Hornbills, which also had the largest flock-size (~8 birds).

The researchers found distinct spatial differences in the hornbill densities. While the Rufous-necked Hornbill occurred in all three sites, the other three hornbill species were restricted A male White-throated Brown Hornbill. Photo by Ramki to only two out of the three sites. In Sreenivasan, Conservation India, Kalyan Varma and places where the Great and the White- Aparajita Datta. throated Brown Hornbills did occur, their densities varied across the elevation gradient, being higher in the lower altitudes. The team also noted that Wreathed Hornbills, birds with a brightly coloured pouch on their necks, reached the zenith of their densities in November-December at about 68 birds per sq. km, and then quickly fell to 1 bird per sq. km. in March-April. The Great Hornbill densities fluctuated as well, albeit not as strikingly. The densities of Rufous-necked and White-throated Brown Hornbills however, remained more or less invariable across the months.

All in all, Namdapha appears to support a large population of hornbills that "can potentially serve as a source for adjoining unprotected areas, which experience logging and higher hunting

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 43 Regional News

pressures and have low hornbill densities," write the authors. They add that this data can help disclose seasonal movements of these birds, and identify areas that can benefit from protection, for example, the sites where they breed.

However, Namdapha, despite being protected legally, is not particularly well-managed. It faces severe human pressure, including hunting, and clearing-off of its forest patches for cultivation. Yet, hornbills occur here in large numbers.

The authors note that this is "possibly because they are not targeted for hunting by the particular tribal groups that access the park. Therefore, the value of the hornbill populations inside Namdapha, especially of the more threatened species like the Rufous-necked and White-throated Brown Hornbill, needs to be highlighted."

Citations: Naniwadekar, R. and Datta, A. 2013. Spatial and temporal variation in hornbill densities in Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India. Tropical Conservation Science Vol.6 (6):734-748.

Read more at Mongabay.com http://news.mongabay.com/2013/1216-dasgupta-tcs-india- hornbills.html#3J35Uy5voLOmJSww.99

Illustrations by Arjun Srivathsa

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 44 Regional News

HORNBILL CONSERVATION PROGRAMME NE INDIA Facebook Update

Maintaining & Repairing Nests 21 November 2014

A big thank you to the THAILAND HORNBILL PROJECT for their help in training our research team, field staff, nest protectors and FD staff in Pakke Tiger Reserve in canopy climbing techniques, repairing nest trees and setting up mist nets.

Talee Nabum, one of the field staff climbing up to a Great hornbill cavity 30- 40 m high in the canopy. We knew this nest from 1998, it was used every year since then, it became inactive a few years ago and it looked like water had entered the cavity. With the Thai team's help they checked it out..

This was what the inside of a dry and nice hornbill nest cavity looks like.(above).. and it turned out, it was flooded. (left)..will need repairs to make it usable by hornbills again.

Many years ago, this cavity was being used by Wreathed hornbill, till it was taken over by a Great Hornbill. HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 45 Regional News

An Oriental Pied Hornbill nest cavity that was widened..with the help of the Thai team

All hornbill species try to use the smallest size possible (enough for the female to squeeze in) as it involves more work to seal it up if too wide. However, very often the nest tree tissues like in these Bhelu trees grow and shrink the cavity quite a bit, resulting in disuse by the nest. It should not be widened too much..but widened a bit as per the usual cavity dimensions used by different hornbill species. The Thai team has had a lot of experience in doing management of hornbill nests that had become inactive due to various factors. These have helped in hornbills to start re-using cavities again. In this case, it is an Oriental Pied Hornbill nest that was seen inactive only for a year. We did not know the reason why it was not being used till the Thais helped us climb up and see that part of the cavity floor had sunk (which will need different kind of repair) and through the years of disuse, the tissues had grown; making the cavity opening smaller.

About the nest being safe from predators - hornbills would anyway seal the nest cavity once they decide to enter and use a nest cavity. Hornbill nest cavities are often taken over and/or used by other hole-nesting birds, monitor lizards and bees, flying squirrels. This is quite common in existing used and active cavities. Adult hornbills have very few natural predators (apart from humans), predators like yellow-throated marten and binturong have been observed but rare.

Khem repairing an OPH nest (widening the entrance a bit) which has been inactive for some years. Very often, the holes shrink due to growth of tissue on the Bhelu trees..

To read more at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hornbill-Conservation-Program-NE- India/368922073135257

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 46 Regional News

HORNBILL NEST PROTECTORS’ TEAM WILDLIFE SERVICE AWARD

Ten years ago, Pahi Tachang crested a hill near his village on the border of Pakke, and came eye to eye with the nest of a Great Hornbill. Delighted, the Nyishi tribal decided to cut the tree and kill the bird to acquire a new bill for his bopiya (traditional headdress). But even as he readied himself to deliver the first blow, his father warned him that killing a hornbill in the breeding season is a grave sin. And so Pahi Tachang desisted. A decade on, ‘Pahiji’s tree’ is still standing, home to a romancing hornbill couple, and Pahi himself ensures that no one approaches it with either bow or axe.

Established in 2011 by visionary scientists, village heads and forest officers looking to protect Pakke’s four hornbill species, the Hornbill Nest Protectors’ Team is an exemplary model of community conservation. The 11-member-strong team locates and monitors hornbill nests on the fringes of the Pakke Tiger Reserve. Comprising only Nyishi tribals from local villages, many of them erstwhile hunters, the team has since overseen the successful fledging of hornbill chicks for three years, with 90 per cent nesting success in the last two years. Each member monitors specific trees and ensures that no harm comes to the birds. Such measures are helping Photo by Aparajita Datta. protect hornbills and their habitat outside the park, where tree felling and other human activities are prevalent. The success of this programme has been supplemented by a pre-existing community ban on the hunting of hornbills and the acceptance of fibre glass hornbill casques as a replacement to real hornbill casques for their traditional headgear.

Team members include elderly men with unparalleled jungle skills and educated young boys that wish to become researchers, guardians and trackers all rolled in one. They are undoubtedly the best custodians for the exquisite avians of the emerald forests that surround Pakke. The protection of these hornbills will no doubt result in the regeneration of the land since hornbills are among the most prolific of seed dispersers. However, threats to the forests outside the Protected Area continue to persist, and need to be addressed.

In 2013, Gingma and Tade, two members of the hornbill team responded reassuringly when asked whether the birds would really be safe: “Madam, please don’t worry any longer. Now that the entire village knows that they are our hornbills, no one will hurt them. ” Seconds later, the harsh call of a Wreathed Hornbill echoed through the valley in apparent concurrence.

Scientists may well quantify their success by numbers, but it is the spirit of the Nyishitribals that truly sets them apart. For this, we honour them.

First published in: Sanctuary Asia, Vol. XXXIV No. 6, December 2014. (http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/people/earth-heroes/9844-hornbill-nest-protectors- team.html#sthash.rUAPTgfE.dpuf) HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 47 Regional News

Great Hornbill and Indian Grey Hornbill records 19 December, 2014

Records for Great and Indian Grey hornbill uploaded on the Hornbill watch website between 3 June and 12 December, 2014. GH, n = 142; IGH, n = 124

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 48 Regional News

Map for 7 hornbill species records 19 December, 2014

Records for 7 hornbill species. Malabar Pied, Malabar Grey, Oriental Pied, Narcondam, Wreathed, Rufous-necked, White-throated Brown Hornbill from 3 June 3 – 12 December, 2014.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 49 Regional News

LOVING YOUR HORNBILLS…

February, the heart-warming month, is coming. One of the special days that we’re waiting for is The LOVE Hornbill Day (13th Feb). Our slogan: “Expressing the Love to the hornbill one day before expressing the love to our beloved ones on the valentine day.” Every year, the activities are set up in order to provide knowledge about hornbill and natural conservation to the public as well as to activate their sense of conservation. Hornbill research teams, the grant supporters, environmental conservationists and many organizations will come together and hold this event. The update on hornbill status in Thailand and our research progress will be presented. Moreover, we will take an opportunity from this event to gathering everyone who love hornbill together once a year for the meeting. In 2015, the Love Hornbill Day will be on the 13th of February as usual at Hornbill garden, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University RamaVI Rd. Rajthevee Bangkok (Next to Ramathibode Hospital). Additionally, this year will be The First year for the Love Hornbill Day event to be expanded. We will organize an additional event on the 15th of February at one of our research site, Budo-SuNgai Padee National Park, Narathiwat.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 50 Regional News

Information and photos from the Thailand Hornbill Project Facebook, with permission.

Editor’s comment: Hopefully we can emulate this fun event in Gerik/Belum-Temengor in the near future. This would also be an interesting ‘tool’ for MNS to use in cultivating interest and support for biodiversity/hornbill conservation here.

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 51 Hornbill Records in Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia July-December 2014

Bushy-crested Hornbill Anorrhinus galeritus • Heard call at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 9 Aug 2014 (Choy Wai Mun) • Heard call at Baling, Kedah. 24 Aug 2014 (Mohd Abdul Muin Md. Akil) • Heard call at Sungei Sedim Forest Reserve, Kedah. 31 Aug 2014 (Tan Choo Eng) • 3 seen flying over Langkap old logging road, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. 4 Oct 2014 (Yang Chong et al) • 4 seen flying over Bukit Wang Recreational Forest, Jitra, Kedah. 5 Oct 2014 (Selangor Bird Group) • 4 at Bukit Wang Recreational Forest, Jitra, Kedah. 22 Oct 2014 (Choy Wai Mun) • 3 at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 20 Dec 2014 (Choy Wai Mun)

Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris • 2 at Belum-Temenggor IBA . 5 Sep 2014. (Bird expedition sponsored by the Perak Tourism Board) • 22 at Royal Belum State Park, Perak . 6 Sep 2014 (Tang Tuck Hong et al) • 2 at Pulau Langkawi, Kedah. 11 Oct 2014 (Ang Teck Hin et al) • 1 at Bagan Dalam, Butterworth, Penang. 2 Nov 2014 (Colm O Caomhanaigh) • 2 in Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve. 3 Dec 2014 (Choy Wai Mun) • Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Selangor. 5 Dec 2014 (Ng Kok Keong et al)

Black Hornbill Anthracoceros malayanus • 1 at FRIM research station, Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negeri Sembilan. 23 Jul 2014 (Lim Bing Yee) • 1 in flight in Kuala Lompat, Krau Wildlife Reserve, Kuala Krau, Pahang. 31 Aug 2014. (Yang Chong et al). • 3 seen perched at Royal Belum State Park, Perak. 1 Sep 2014. (Colm O Caomhanaigh et al) • 1 seen at Royal Belum State Park, Perak. 6 Sep 2014. (Tang Tuck Hong et al) • Heard at Langkap old logging road, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. 4 Oct 2014. (Yang Chong et al) • 2 seen perched in Langkap old logging road, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. 5 Oct 2014. Also heard 2 on 6 Oct 14. (Yang Chong et al)

Rhinoceros Hornbill Ibuceros rhinoceros • 2 flying over Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 26 Jul 2014. (Choy Wai Mun) • Heard at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 9 Aug 2014. (Choy Wai Mun) • 1 flying over Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 16 Aug 2014. (Choy Wai Mun et al) • Heard at Baling, Kedah. 24 Aug 2014. (Mohd Abdul Muin Md. Akil) • Heard at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 30 Aug 2014. (Choy Wai Mun et al) • Heard at Sungei Sedim Forest Reserve, Kedah. 31 Aug 2014. (Tan Choo Eng) • 1 flying over Gunung Telapa Buruk, Negeri Sembilan. 1 Sep 2014. (Ronnie Ooi) • 5 at Royal Belum State Park, Perak. 6 Sep 2014.(Tang Tuck Hong et al) • 1 at Fraser’s Hill, Pahang. 7 Sep 2014. (Ang Teck Hin et al) • An adult with a young seen at Berjaya Hills, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. 16 Sep 2014. (Fong Pok San et al) • Heard call only at Gunung Telapa Buruk, Negeri Sembilan. 28 Sep 2014. (MNS Selangor Branch Bird Group) • 1 seen perched at Langkap old logging road, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. 4/10/2014. Also heard on 5 Oct. (Yang Chong et al) • 1 at Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve, Selangor. 3 Dec 2014. (Choy Wai Mun)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 52 Hornbill Records in Malaysia

Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis • 1 flew over Belum Temenggor Rainforest Complex, Perak. 9 Jul 2014. (Mark Ng et al) • 2 seen at Sungkop Forest Reserve, Bedong, Kedah. 28 Sep 2014. (Tan Choo Eng et al) • 2 at Pulau Langkawi, Kedah. 11 Oct 2014. (Ang Teck Hin et al) • Heard at Sungkop Forest Reserve, Bedong, Kedah.12 Oct 2014. (Tan Choo Eng et al)

Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil • Heard at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 26 Jul 2014 (Choy Wai Mun) • Heard call at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Gunung Inas Forest Reserve, Kedah. 9 Aug 2014. Also heard on 16 Aug, and 30 Aug with Tan Choo Eng. (Choy Wai Mun)

White-crowned Hornbill Aceros cornatus • 2 in flight at Awana pumphouse road, Genting Highlands, Pahang. 15Jul 2014. (Ronnie Ooi)

Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus • 2 along route N19 between Pertang and Batu Kikir, Negeri Sembilan. 6 Jul 2014. (Tang Tuck Hong et al) • 3 Seen in flight along route N19 between Pertang and Batu Kikir, Negeri Sembilan. 20 Jul 2014. (Lee Keen Seong et al)

Plain-pouched Hornbill Aceros subruficollis • 25 in flight over Royal Belum State Park, Perak. 1 Sep 2014. Colm O Caomhanaigh et al)

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 53 Hornbill sightings in Peninsular Malaysia July-December 2014

Location with Hornbill sightings

Map data © 2014 Google Hornbill Records in Malaysia

East Malaysia July-December 2014

Wreathed Hornbill Aceros undulatus •1 at Lupa Masa Jungle Camp, Poring, Sabah. 18 Nov 2014. (David Bakewell et al)

Location with Hornbill sightings

Map data © 2014 Google

HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014 55 Kg Chuweh Orang Asli child with his masterpiece. (Photo: Liu Lai Wah)

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HCP Update No. 7 July-December 2014