A recent study based on satellite data has raised concerns about the high rate of deforestation in key hornbill habitats in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam.
Satellite Data Reveals Concerning Figures
The study used fine-scale satellite imagery to examine the Papum Reserve Forest (RF), which adjoins the Pakke Tiger Reserve (also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve) in Arunachal Pradesh. It revealed a significant loss and degradation of the critical hornbill habitat in these biologically rich forests of the Indian Eastern Himalaya. The data showed an annual loss rate as high as 8.2 sq.km., resulting in the forest cover declining to 76% of the total RF area between 2013-2017.
According to the Global Forest Watch 2020 report, Arunachal Pradesh lost 1,110 sq.km. of primary forest from 2002-2019. This loss is attributed to illegal logging activities and ethnic conflict. The study also highlighted the growing pressure on these forests due to agricultural expansion, conversion to plantations, and logging.
About Papum Reserve Forest
Papum Reserve Forest is ideally positioned in the southwest of East Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh, surrounded by the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary to the east and the Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary to the west. Recognized as part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot in India, Papum Reserve Forest is one out of four Biodiversity Hotspots in India that includes the Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Sundalands, and Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
The reserve forms part of the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area, a land identified by BirdLife International as vital for habitat-based bird conservation due to its rich variety of restricted-range bird species. The forest is covered by Subtropical Evergreen and Semi-evergreen Forests at lower altitudes, while the higher areas feature Subtropical Broadleaf Hill Forest cover.
Hornbills: An Integral Part of The Ecosystem
The Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of birds found across tropical and subtropical regions in Africa and Asia, with India being home to nine species of hornbills. Papum RF is a nesting habitat for three species of hornbills: The great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), wreathed hornbill (Aceros undulatus), and the Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris).
The 862 sq.km. Pakke reserve houses a fourth species, the Rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis). The great hornbill is honored as the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala, holding cultural significance for certain ethnic communities like the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh. They are often referred to as ‘forest engineers’ or ‘farmers of forest’ for their role in dispersing seeds of tropical trees, indicating the prosperity and health of their nest-building forests.
The Importance of Hornbill Conservation
Currently, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, 26 of the 62 species (40%) of hornbills are categorised as Globally Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction. The great hornbill is evaluated as vulnerable and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Their threats include hunting for their casques and feathers for adornments, poaching for their meat and alleged medicinal value of their body parts, and habitat loss due to logging activities.
A conservation programme promoting the use of fibre-glass beaks for headgear instead of real hornbill casques has led to a reduction in threats.
The Way Forward
The study’s results highlight the dire need for hornbill habitat conservation efforts in India. These efforts should focus on discouraging tribal hunters through the provision of substitutes and rehabilitating forest fragments using science.
