Citizen science initiative helps save hornbills

Citizen science initiative helps save hornbills

News

1. A citizen science initiative named The Hornbill Watch has been documenting and providing valuable inputs for the conservation of Hornbills in India

Important facts:

Hornbills in India:

2. India has nine hornbill species-Indian Grey Hornbill (endemic to India), the Malabar Grey Hornbill (endemic to the Western Ghats), Malabar Pied Hornbill (endemic to India and Sri Lanka) Great Hornbill, Narcondam Hornbill (endemic to Narcondam), Austen’s Brown Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, and White-throated Brown Hornbill
3. IUCN Status: Most hornbill species in India are listed as vulnerable or near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Example- Rufous-necked hornbill, the Austen’s brown hornbill and the great hornbill. Narcondam hornbill is listed as endangered.
4. Major threats to hornbills: hunting and loss of habitat.

Hornbill Watch

5. Hornbill Watch platform was set up by Nature Conservation Foundation and Conservation India in 2014
6. It is an interactive web interface that allows a person to report on hornbills anywhere in India

Significance of Hornbill Watch:

7. The information on hornbill distribution in India is scarce and thus it gives a poor understanding of the change in hornbill distribution over time.
8. Hornbill Watch serves as centralized database to determine hornbill distribution over time and thus help in identifying key areas for hornbill conservation across India