Updates from the Field No. 3 March – May 2013

Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641 Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Recently, at the end of APRIL, researchers, conservationists and enthusiasts from around the globe gathered in Manila, Philippines for the 6th time to present new findings on various aspects of hornbill biology/ecology and conservation as well as share experiences on the current state of . For MNS and myself, it was our second time participating, the first being in Singapore in 2010, where we presented an oral paper our preliminary findings about the globally threatened Plain-pouched Hornbills (PPHB) and a poster on the PPHBs in the Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complex in Kedah State. If you’d like to view the presentation and/or poster, do contact me via email below. The conference, which was a first in the Philippines, nonetheless brought the spotlight on Philippine hornbills and the dire situations that they are now in. The forested ecosystems of this island nation support 10 species but what is more amazing is that ALL of them are endemic at the same time. Only the Philippines can ‘claim’ this place in the sun. However, this glory might be shortlived if more serious conservation actions and protection are not given as 7 out of 10 of the species are threatened with extinction. Compounding this problem, is the lack of ecological and biological information of its many species. To educate the masses, the Wild Club of the Philippines has produced a wonderful, informative and succinct factsheet poster illustrating the current state of Philippine’s hornbills (see next page). Not to also mention the cutest hornbills I’ve ever come across.

The current situation faced by Philippine’s hornbills is indeed sobering. One of the richest country biologically and in hornbill diversity yet at the same time staring at the very real prospects of losing it all in the near future. Looking at our own backyard, in Belum-Temengor Forest Complex (BTFC) specifically, we are still fortunate that this site is ‘intact’ for hornbills – a mixture of both virgin and regenerating forests. Lest we become too comfortable with this information, let us not forget that BTFC continues to face conservation challenges today some of which directly impacts hornbills. Currently , BTFC is one of the two sites in Malaysia supporting all 10 hornbill species. Incidentally, it could also very well be that our sites (and one in southern Thailand) have the highest hornbill diversity per site in the world. Now surely this is a ‘title’ worth protecting nationally. A ‘title’ that we can only keep or gloat about it IF we are serious about conserving our remaining ‘intact’ (and old growth and/or well regenerated) forests for hornbills (and other wildlife).

Yeap Chin Aik Project Manager / Lead Investigator MNS Hornbill Conservation Project Malaysian Nature Society Email: [email protected] HCP Update No. 3 March – May 2013 2 Produced by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (www.birdwatch.ph) HCP Update No. 3 March – May 2013 3 IT’S RAINING (NESTING) ORIENTAL PIEDS?

Since the previous update, the MNS team was kept busy with the discovery of more hornbill nests in the forest complex not that we’re complaining! Each newly discovered active nests was exhilarating and a privilege – a peek into the private lives of hornbills. At least seven active nests of the Oriental Pied Hornbills were located, scattered across the forest landscape, with assistance from various Orang Asli informants and the MNS team’s own efforts as well which reminded me of the song chorus “it’s raining men” but hornbills instead. Nevertheless, it is an encouraging progress for the team. Second most ‘common’ nests that we found belong to the Rhinoceros Hornbills with at least 5 new nests discovered. Compared to the Oriental Pieds, most of these ‘rhinos’ were more sensitive to their immediate surroundings (around the nest tree) during the breeding season. Clearly, the 2013 is the Year of the Oriental Pieds and Rhinos. The MNS teams continues to monitor as many hornbill nests as possible until the end of their breeding period. By April/May, some of them will start to break out.

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[1 & 2] Oriental Pied Hornbills attending to their imprisoned female and chick(s). [3] A male Rhinoceros Hornbills returns to its nest. [4] A female Rhinoceros Hornbill has earlier left the nest and now attending to its chick. [5] Faeces of an Oriental Pied Hornbill chick that is scattered around its nest tree. HCP Update No. 3 March – May 2013 4 AN EXTRAORDINARY ENCOUNTER WITH BLACK HORNBILLS This article was first published in the Malaysian Naturalist Volume 66-4 June 2013.

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 5 HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 6 HORNBILL GROUPIES IN BELUM-TEMENGOR

(Note: The photo looks ‘misty’ due to haze in the morning. The white circles shows the position of the hornbills on the tree.)

Seeing one or two hornbills for most people is an exhilarating experience but more than five at a single time? Priceless. Over these past few months during the breeding season (ca. December to July), the MNS team has encountered several large flocks (let’s call them ‘groupies’) of Rhinoceros, Great and Oriental Pied Hornbills at several locations in the forest complex. Based on our current understanding of hornbill behaviour, subadults and non-breeding adult individuals sometimes form groups roaming about the forests in search of food (Poonswad et al. 2013). The MNS team will continue to document these ‘groupies’ and their activities as we enter the non-breeding period (August onwards) and share with readers in due time.

Reference: Poonswad, P. Kemp, A. and Strange, M. 2013. A Photographic Guide: Hornbills of the World. Singapore: Draco Publishing and Distributions Pte. Ltd. And Thailand: Thailand Hornbill Project.

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 7 THE PLAIN-POUCHED HORNBILLS HAVE LANDED

Small flocks of Plain-pouched Hornbills (PPHB) have been detected roaming the forest complex in May. Tour guides operating from Pulau Banding reported seeing PPHB flocks in Sungai Kenarong (Royal Belum). Likewise in Temengor, they too have been seen in flight over Kg Tebang. The subsequent months of June until September will soon reveal to us how this year’s movement will pan out: a ‘high’ or ‘low’ year.

PPHB flocks flying high above the forest canopy.

THE Hornbill Volunteer Programme IS BACK! Registration now open for the 6th (2013) installation of HVP. Spread the word and check out the link below: www.mnshornbillvolunteerprogramme.wordpress.com

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 8 A JOINT RECCE WITH YAYASAN SIME DARBY

On 21st and 22nd May, the MNS team and Yayasan Sime Darby (led by Pn Arifah) was conducted at Royal Belum and Temengor as part of the preparation towards an official launch of the sponsorship of the MNS’ hornbill conservation work in this landscape. We started off with an evening trip to Sungai Gadong (Royal Belum State Park), a site which is popular for its Rafflesia blooms (there are four locations within this area). Little do people know that visitors also stand a good chance of spotting a hornbill or several in this river valley. After an introduction to the Rafflesias, we slowly headed back towards the jetty but at the same time craning our necks in search of hornbills. We did not have to wait too long – a group of hornbills flew past about 100 metres in front of us. Excitement began to build as we followed the flock of at least 9 individuals and later identified it as Great Hornbills. Thankfully, the group stopped several times and perched on emergents allowing us reasonable views. At the same time, a small group of Plain-pouched Hornbills were seen flying south high on the ridge and a few minutes later a group of 6 Rhinoceros Hornbills. As the sun began to set, we bid goodbye to the hornbills of Sungai Gadong. In the following day, we visited Sungai Halong (Temengor) and were rewarded with a sighting of a Helmeted Hornbill which also generously showcased its unique haunting call. Overall, in that short span of time, we observed and heard 5 of the 10 hornbills of Belum-Temengor; the Helmeted, Great, Rhinoceros (“the Big 3”), Plain-pouched and Bushy-crested. The MNS team hopes that they show up again come the launch day in end August!

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 9 HORNBILL EDUCATION & AWARENESS CONTINUES….

Participating schools: • SK Perempuan Methodist (Pahang) • SJK (T) Ringlet (Pahang) • SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah (Pahang) • SMK Lurah Bilut (Pahang) • SMK Tekek (Pahang) • SMK Dewa Beta (Kelantan) • SMK Jeram (Selangor)

A Kem Pendidikan Biodiversiti Tanah Tinggi (Highland Biodiversity Education Camp) was held at the dormitory hall of SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah in Cameron Highlands on 29th May 2013. A total of 79 students and 14 teachers from seven schools participated. While learning about highland biodiversity, the participants were also given awareness on hornbills and their importance to the forest ecosystems. Hornbills, such as the Rhinoceros Hornbill, can also be found up to lower montane forests (1,400 m asl) in Peninsular Malaysia. HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 10 From the field……

THE Hornbill Volunteer Programme IS BACK! Registration now open for the 6th (2013) installation of HVP. Spread the word and check out the link below: www.mnshornbillvolunteerprogramme.wordpress.com

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 11 HORNBILL NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION

IN PALAWAN, CONSERVING THE COCKATOO MEANS SAVING THE HORNBILLS TOO By Gian Geronimo

For conservationist-couple Peter and Indira Widmann, their quest to save the endangered katala, or the Philippine cockatoo, from extinction in Palawan has meant saving the Palawan hornbill, classified as a , and other found in the popular tourist destination as well. As founders of the non-governmental organization Katala Foundation Inc. (KFI), they observed that three of their four priority protection sites – Dumaran Island, Pandanan Island, and Rizal town – for the Philippine cockatoo also have populations of the Palawan hornbill. Like some bird species, both the katala and the hornbill build their nests in tree holes found in Palawan’s lush lowland forests.

“We can help them as well, help them not to be poached or help them by not allowing people to cut down their nest trees,” said Peter Widmann. “So indirectly these species are benefiting as well from the measures we take for the Philippine cockatoo.” Widmann delivered a lecture last Thursday during the three-day conference 6th International Hornbill Conference held in Manila. Although his group’s major concern is the Philippine cockatoo, this time he talked about the breeding biology and conservation of the Palawan hornbill.

The International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species lists the Palawan hornbill as “vulnerable”, with its numbers estimated between 2,500 and 10,000. “This hornbill has a small population which is declining rapidly as a result of the loss of lowland forest, compounded by hunting, and it therefore qualifies as Vulnerable,” according to the listing.

Threats to bird habitats Widmann said the threats to the survival of the Palawan hornbill include the destruction of its forest habitat and hunting for the illegal pet trade. "We are very grateful we have the Palawan hornbill in our sites also, so we can explain how important birds are for the ecosystem," he said.

A Palawan hornbill (Photo: Sylvia Ramos)

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 12 “The Philippine cockatoo is not really a seed disperser, so when we try to explain what the species are doing for the people, it’s good to have the Palawan hornbill because hornbills are very effective in dispersing seeds,” Widmann said in an interview with GMA News Online after his lecture. The group’s conservation efforts include participatory planning with citizens and other stakeholders, education campaigns, and habitat restoration.

“The Palawan hornbills do not only provide the information of the trees we have to plant, they actually provide us with material we can use in our tree nurseries,” Widmann noted. In turn, their warden scheme for the protection of the Philippine cockatoo also benefits other cavity nesters such as the Palawan Hornbill.

Threat from coal plant His wife Indira, who serves as KFI’s chief operating officer, said the group is engaged in wider conservation efforts in Palawan and not just selected wildlife. “The Philippine cockatoo is just a flagship species, the approach we are using is really ecosystemic,” she said.

“Because it is a lowland species, it also shares the habitat with other species. And the Palawan hornbill is part of that habitat, so we are protecting all the other species that are included in the Philippine cockatoo habitat,” she continued. One of the major battles the group is facing now is the proposed 15-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the coastal barangay of Panacan in Narra town.

The proposed location for the power plant is just one kilometer away from the Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary, the fourth of KFI’s priority conservation sites and a major katala habitat. According to KFI, this proposed coal plant “would result in cockatoo casualties due to collisions and electrocution at the feeder power lines.” The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which has to approve all big-ticket projects in the province, issued a Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance for the power plant last February 22 despite a lack of endorsement from the town of Narra or the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan, critics noted.

According to Indira, there is no word yet whether the PCSD will revoke the clearance in the wake of opposition from conservationists. For now, she continues to hope that the plan will not become a reality and that the Philippine cockatoo, along with the flora and fauna found in its habitat, will continue to thrive in Rasa Island.

Source: www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/305969/scitech/science/in-palawan-conserving- the-cockatoo-means-saving-the-hornbill-too (28 April 2013)

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 13 CONSERVATIONISTS STRUGGLE TO PREVENT THE PHL FROM BECOMING A HORNBILL GRAVEYARD By Roucheller Dinglasan

In five years, another species of Philippine hornbill will be extinct. The prediction was made by conservationist Dr. William Oliver, director of the Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. “It is inevitable… It is really a depressing scenario,” said Oliver during the opening of the Sixth International Hornbill Conference at the Ayala Museum on Wednesday.

“The future can be secured given sufficient effort, given sufficient priority and a load of other things. But it is absolutely inevitable that a large percentage of that stuff [species] has to go. *It+ just has to happen,” he added.

Alarmingly, the extinction of a hornbill sub-species is not new to the Philippines, after recording the first known hornbill extinction. Among the world’s 57 hornbill species, the Ticao Tarictic, a subspecies of the Visayan hornbill found only in Ticao Island in Masbate, is considered extinct. “We missed our boat on the Ticao *hornbill+,” said Dr. Juan Carlos Gonzalez, zoologist and professor at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños. “But we did well on the Cebu Flowerpecker… We have to work on those second chances to make it work.”

The Cebu Flowerpecker was presumed extinct until it was rediscovered in 1992.

“We have to be optimistic about it. They’re still there. There's still a chance with other species. And more people out there are becoming aware about wildlife,” Gonzales A male Visayan Tarictic hornbill (Photo: Ramon Quisumbing) noted.

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 14 Habitat loss Hornbills are an eye-catching bird species with noticeably large, colorful beaks. This also makes them attractive as a pet. There's a misconception that these birds come from Africa. But according to the tally of the conference organizer Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, 16 percent or 10 of the world's hornbill species can be found only in the Philippines. Unfortunately, these endemic birds are all considered endangered, with two species - the Sulu hornbill and the Rufous-headed hornbill - categorized as critically endangered.

The biggest threat to hornbills? Habitat loss, according to Gonzalez. Hornbills, which can only be found in Asian and African countries, depend heavily on primary forests to survive. And with the country’s dwindling forest cover, the hornbills' chance to survive also declines.

“It is a rule of thumb that if you lose 95 percent of your forest, you lose 50 percent of your species,” Oliver noted. He cited Mindoro island, which has lost about 93.5 percent of its forest cover, as an example.

Apart from deforestation, mining is also a threat to hornbills as mining firms assert their rights over forests. On Dinagat Island, for example, all existing forests are being claimed by mining companies, Oliver added. Another challenge facing hornbill conservation is that threatened species are not always found within protected areas, which are usually no-take zones.

Awareness is the key According to Oliver, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for hornbill conservation. Nonetheless, one important approach to hornbill protection is public awareness. “Tribals [indigenous peoples] are really well informed on their wildlife in their area, but it is not contextual. They don’t know that they have a special *species+ in their area. Contextualized information in a way that is useful for them is the best way to develop conservation in a piecemeal *manner+,” he noted.

The UPLB professor concurred. He recounted that in Polillo Island in Quezon province, when the residents learned that they have an endemic hornbill species, they embraced the bird “as part of their national heritage.”

“The first thing is awareness. We should get more people aware in the Philippines, considering that the Philippines is endowed with a huge diversity of hornbills,” he noted.

Source: www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/305625/scitech/science/conservationists- struggle-to-prevent-the-phl-from-becoming-a-hornbill-graveyard (26 April 2013)

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 15 ORIENTAL PIED HORNBILL EGGS SUCCESSFULLY INCUBATED, HATCHED AT JURONG BIRD PARK By Chen Jingjie

In a world first, three Oriental Pied Hornbill eggs have been successfully incubated and hatched at Jurong Bird Park's Breeding and Research Centre. The three eggs, which were abandoned by their mother, were rescued from Pulau Ubin by rangers from the National Parks Board. It is usually hard to gain access to their eggs as the mother bird usually seals herself and the eggs in the nest, depending solely on the male for food. No attempt has been made to artificially incubate them prior to this.

The Oriental Pied Hornbill is native to Southeast Asia and plays an important role in the ecosystem by dispersing the seeds of fruit trees. It was not seen in Singapore for 140 years prior to 1994. Since then, its numbers have increased and now stands at 100 in the wild.

Source: www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/oriental-pied-hornbill-eggs- successfully-incubated-hatched-jurong-bird (8 March 2013)

A world's first, three Oriental Pied Hornbill eggs have been successfully incubated and hatched at Jurong Bird Park's Breeding and Research Centre. The three chicks hatched between late January to early February 2013. (Photo: Ashleigh Sim)

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 16 GROUP WANTS PARK TO FOCUS ON HORNBILL CONSERVATION By Cecelia B Sman

MIRI: The pro tem committee for the proposed Permanent Nature Park, to be called the Hornbill Park, at Piasau Camp is seeking the authorities’ help in establishing the park, the first of its kind in the country dedicated to hornbill conservation.

The pro tem committee is headed by Datuk Sebastian Ting, assisted by the head of Malaysian Nature Society, (MNS) Miri Chapter, Musa Musbah as deputy and several other local professionals.

Ting said all Mirians deserve to have the Hornbill Park at the camp as it is a historical site synonymous with Miri’s oil and gas industry that goes back 100 years with the first oil well drilled atop Canada Hill known as the Grand Old Lady. Most importantly the camp, which is only several minutes away from the city centre, is home to the Oriental Pied Hornbills, one of the ten hornbill species in the country. Hornbills are now totally protected species under the State’s Wild Life Protection Ordinance (1998).

According to Musa, studies have shown that there are 15 hornbills in the camp with four very tame ones. A total of 43 other species of birds are also found in the vicinity of the camp.

The call to gazette the camp as a permanent hornbill park has become very urgent, as the area, which was leased to Shell Malaysia, will be closed by September this year. Although Shell will not relinquish the land it will let go the lots by the riverside. Meanwhile, to drum up support and create further interest among members of the public on hornbills, a second Walk in the Park at the Piasau Camp will be held on Sunday.

“We had overwhelming response towards our inaugural walk last month where some 600 turned up. We urge Mirians to come again and join us for the walk. Bring your family members and friends for the walk. We might be lucky to see hornbills flying around,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Among those present were Musa (deputy chairman), Andy Chia (secretary) and Karambir Singh (treasurer) of the pro tem committee for the proposed Hornbill Park.

Source: www.theborneopost.com/2013/05/17/group-wants-park-to-focus-on-hornbill- conservation/#ixzz2a2NjA5sc (17 May 2013)

HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 17 WHAT IS THE WORTH OF A HORNBILL OR TWO?

There’s been a lot of talk and discussions about biodiversity paying for itself or in a more ‘sophisticated’ term to monetize biodiversity be it plants and/or and even ecosystems. Studies of utilizing various methods and calculations have been carried out to finding out the ‘worth’ of tropical rainforests, wetlands, an iconic (e.g. elephants, birds etc), medicinal plants etc around the globe. So, how much is a hornbill worth exactly? Are hornbills valuable ‘natural commodities’ in our eyes and wallet? On a lighter note and in response to these two questions, one would give an emphatic YES! How did we arrive at this conclusion? Well, just look at all the currency, in banknotes and coins, that various hornbill species adorn in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Botswana, Zambia, Papua New Guinea and not forgetting Malaysia. The Rhinoceros Hornbill (a pair actually) now proudly proclaims its presence in our new RM5 banknote.

Bank Negara Malaysia has in fact helped to advance awareness about hornbills. This new banknote can now be effectively used as an ‘awareness tool’ (or CEPA*, if you want to sound ‘sophisticated’) on just about anyone who does not or have not heard about hornbills and their plight. Just keep an unused new RM5 banknote in your wallet (like I do!) and presto, you are CEPA-ready. Go on, try it on your unsuspecting family members, friends, work colleagues etc…..but first, do make sure you know some correct facts about our hornbills. (*CEPA = communications, education and public awareness)

Specimen Specimen Specimen

Specimen Specimen Specimen Source: www.google.com HCP Update No. 3 March - May 2013 18 A Tualang tree emerging above the rest of dipterocarp trees in the forest – used by Plain-pouched Hornbills as ‘rest trees’.

Photo and material credits: Tee Lian Huat, Yeap Chin Aik, Wild Bird Club of Philippines, GMA News Online, The Straits Times, Borneo Post Online, Ashleigh Sim, Ramon Quisumbing, Sylvia Ramos OUR PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

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