Tuesday, March 9, 2010

MABULA GROUND HORNBILL CONVERSATION PROJECT

This Project has been actively managing the decline of Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) in the Savannah biome of South Africa since 1999.

The National Zoological Gardens are carrying out a genetic study to determine if the Southern Ground Hornbills of South Africa are part of a population that stretches far into Africa, or if ground hornbills in different areas are subspecies. This is extremely important for releases of captive birds that originate from different parts of Africa.

Their motive was to get DNA(s) samples from Southern Ground Hornbill at the top of their range in order to compare with Kruger DNA so that the National Zoological Gardens Research Department can ascertain whether there is a sub-species.

Ann Turner, Co-ordinator of the Mabula Project, organized Nick Theron, the Mabula Project Researcher, into a position where he could capture groups of birds in the Maasai Mara. Kenya Wildlife Services provided permits and staff and backed the Project to the hilt.

URL : http://www.mabulagroundhornbillconservationproject.org.za/

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

PHILIPPINE HORNBILLS CONSERVATION PROGRAMME

A small country, Philippines, they supported the astonishing of the diversity of hornbills. Having 9species and 10subspecies are recognised. They belong to one, existing in a place since prehistory. With particular forms occurring only on particular islands or groups of islands that were formerly connected by land bridges.

However, the extent of destruction of forests, with fierce hunting of these birds for food(hornbills are still regarded as a delicacy in some places, best eaten as finger-food or 'pulutan' during beer drinking parties). In fact, hornbills were threatened than any other country in the world, but the most regretful is that the first known hornbill extinction, namely the Ticao tarictic (P. p. ticaensis) which was known only from Ticao Island, off Masbate.

A new tripartite 'Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)', formally signifying the establishment of a 'Philippines Hornbills Conservation Programme (PHCP)', has just been signed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR, Govt. of the Philippines), Vogelpark Avifauna (VA, Netherlands) and the North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo, U. K).

What they do to protect hornbills?
-Field status surveys -Habitat protection and restoration
-Development of properly structured conservation breeding and research programmes
-Production and distribution of public awareness/education materials -Organisation of local biodiversity conservation workshops and teacher's training programmes -Personnel training

URL : http://www.coraciiformestag.com/Conservation/Philippines.htm