A bird that lives in the rainforests of East Asia is endangered by its horn beak which is three times as valuable as ivory.
The bird has a giant hornbill
According to the BBC, the pangolin, also known as the sand-hat pink rose, weighs around three kilograms. They have bumps made up of keratin (a fibrous protein) that runs along the upper beak to the skull. This iron-hard horn can account for 11% of the bird’s weight.
There are over 60 species of hornbills in Africa and Asia, all of them hollow horned except for the sand bark. The male uses the horn in battles. Additionally, both males and females use the horn as a tool to dig up insects from decaying trunks.
The ostrich lives in Malaysia and Indonesia and is concentrated on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They often eat fruits and nuts, so they are called “jungle farmers” for their role in spreading seeds while eating.
The birds have a wingspan of up to two meters, black and white feathers, and large bare skin around the throat. They are known for their vigilance and their ability to hide.
Each year, thousands of hornbills are killed for their horns, and poachers often sell their heads to China. In 2012-2014, authorities obtained 1,111 horns from a smuggling organization in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Hornbill researcher Yokyok Hadiprakarsa estimates that around 6,000 birds are killed each year in East Asia.
The ostrich horn is sometimes called “ivory”. It is a beautiful carving material with a smooth surface and a golden tint due to the secretions from the sebaceous glands. Most birds use their heads to apply the protective oils from this gland to their feathers, legs, and feet.
For hundreds of years, Chinese artisans have worshiped rhino horn and used it to make items for the wealthy aristocracy. Japanese sculptors also used ostrich horn to create intricate objects worn on men’s kimono belts.
“Some documents mention the donation of rhino horns to shoguns. However, at the start of the 20th century, ostriches became very scarce due to hunting,” said Noriku Tsuchiya, Japanese regional director of Bao. Museum.
The illegal trade in ostrich horns remains secret. Rhino horns cost $ 6,150 / kg, 3 times more than ivory. Unlike ivory and rhino horn hunting which is becoming the focus of attention, killing rhinos for horns has not received much attention from authorities. “If no one pays attention, the ostrich will die out,” Hadiprakarsa warned.
These slow-breeding birds are not only threatened by hunting, but they are also losing their habitat. As palm oil gains popularity in the West, palm growers are destroying tropical forests in Asia. Researchers from the National University of Singapore estimate that Sumatra and Borneo lose nearly 3% of their lowland rainforest each year. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, ostriches “fall under the category of near extinction and must be carefully monitored to avoid further declines in numbers in the future.”
