Hornbills on a wing and a prayer for survival in Belum-Temengor, Malaysia

Sean Augustin, The Star 18 May 10;

Gazetting the Belum-Temengor forest would be a feather in the cap of the authorities as it would allow plain-pouched hornbills to spread their wings, writes SEAN AUGUSTIN.

THE sight of a huge flock of plain- pouched hornbills flying past before disappearing into the Belum-Temengor forest complex is truly amazing.

It is also amazing because the forest is the only place in the world where these hornbills, or Aceros subruficollis, fly in a group.

A group of 2,365 plain-pouched hornbills was spotted in 1993.

No one knows where these birds, whose numbers are rapidly dwindling, roost in the evening as their nests have not been discovered.

This was why it was important for the authorities to gazette the forest, said Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) head of communications Andrew Sebastian


Hornbills, he said, needed nesting sites and large forests to move around and feed.

Gazetting the Royal Belum state park in 2007 did not cover the entire range of these hornbills, Sebastian added.

The Belum-Temengor forest complex is one of two sites in Malaysia where all 10 species of hornbills are found.


"Controlled logging is not good enough. It has to stop completely, otherwise we risk destroying the habitat of these birds that nest in tree cavities.

"I believe Belum-Temengor is the last known stronghold of these birds. It would also boost the eco-tourism industry as people would fork out a lot of money to spot these birds."

He said the Ulu Muda forest in Kedah had a group of plain-pouched hornbills flying in a group, although not in great numbers.

Apart from the plain-pouched hornbills, Temengor is also home to Malayan tigers, Asian elephants and Malayan tapir.

The plain-pouched hornbill is a species of hornbill in the Bucerotidae family. It is found in forests in southern Myanmar, parts of western Thailand and in northern Peninsular Malaysia.

It is threatened by loss of habitat.

Body Shop Malaysia has collected about 10,000 signatures for "The Save Temengor" campaign since it was launched last month.

The bodycare retailer, along with MNS, is aiming for 100,000 signatures by June 5.

Body Shop Malaysia managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Foong said: "It has been encouraging. The signatures we got are from real greenies.

"But we will work hard to get signatures from others."