A study by the Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Mysuru-based Nature Conservation Foundation, has flagged a high rate of deforestation in a major hornbill habitat-Papum Reserve Forest in Arunachal Pradesh.
Basic Facts
Using satellite imagery, ecologists assessed the changes in forest cover of the 1,064 sq.km.
Papum Reserve Forest adjoining the Pakke Tiger Reserve as well as a part of Assam were affected by illegal felling and ethnic conflict.
The Papum Reserve Forest is part of the 980,000-km2 (378,000-mi2) Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
Papum is a nesting habitat of three species of the large, colourful fruit-eating hornbills: 1. Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), 2. Wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus) and 3. Oriental Pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris).
The 862 sq.km. Pakke reserve houses a fourth species, the Rufous-Necked (Aceros nipalensis).
The habitat loss was due to illegal logging within a 1 km radius around 29 hornbill nest trees.
Nyishi and Hornbill: Hornbills used to be hunted for their casques — upper beak — and feathers for headgear despite being cultural symbols of some ethnic communities in the northeast, specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh. However, a 20-year-old conservation programme entailing the use of fibre-glass beaks reduced the threat to the birds to a large extent.
Source: The Hindu
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