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Hornbills And Eggs Poached In Panaga
By Liza Mohd

Bandar Seri Begawan - A police report has been lodged following the illegal poaching of the protected Hornbill birds and their eggs in Seria.

The Panaga Natural History Society (PNHS), which lodged the report at the Panaga Police Station, has deployed its birdwatchers to keep a close eye on hornbill nesting sites in Panaga trees.

PNHS Secretary Mrs Andrea Blom, who closely monitored the hornbill nests in Panaga, said a few nesting sites have been tampered by people and some female hornbills, their chicks and eggs have gone missing.

A dirty cloth was also found inside the hole of a tree where a female hornbill was taking care of its chicks.

Hornbill nests are normally not visible as they are located in tree trunks about two to three metres from the ground. The birds prefer fig trees, which are abundant in Panaga, Seria.

When a pair of Hornbills finds a suitable nesting site, they mate and the female enters the nest inside the tree hole and imprisons itself with a wall of mud and debris and relies on the male to hunt for food.

The breeding season began at the end of last year. The nesting period usually lasts for three months and the female bird stays inside the tree hole until the chick gets the urge to break free from the nest and fly.

Sometime at the end of December last year, PNHS members said they noticed people trying to open the entrance to some tree holes with the intention to free female birds (maybe out of ignorance) but in fact they were just nesting. Due to persistent human disturbances, PNHS members spotted some female hornbills abandoning their nests and leaving behind eggs, further reducing the chances for the rare birds to reproduce.

Brunei Hornbills are protected by the Wildlife Preservation Act of 1981 and a person is liable to an imprisonment term of one year or a fine of $2,000 if caught shooting, hunting, killing, capturing the birds or disturbing the nests or eggs.

Mrs Andrea told the Borneo Bulletin that she was not aware of any illegal bird trade in the country but suspects that hunters and unscrupulous traffickers are capturing the adult birds and chicks for sale across the border.

Hornbills are normally sold for native rituals and decorations but the birds are also claimed to have medicinal properties.

To preserve Panaga's prominent icon, PNHS members installed nest boxes last year as additional homes for the Hornbills. Though it may take time for the Hornbills to adapt to the nest boxes, they have shown keen interest in taking to it.

The PNHS has also expressed concern with the cutting down of trees along the main road of Jalan Tengah Panaga as the trees have been in existence for 30 years.

This will certainly affect the natural landscape of the area, and furthermore Hornbills need many large, old trees to support their nesting habits that encourage breeding.

The members are urging the government to put an end to the project and consider the current scarcity of natural resources due to deforestation and its long-term effects.

Mrs Bloem has also advised the public not to go near Hornbill nests and not flash lights at the nests as this will scare the birds away. The PNHS is also urging members of the public to report any attempts of illegal poaching to the police or to any of the PNHS committee members. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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