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IMPHAL — In an effort to conserve hornbills in Manipur's Tamenglong district, a consultative workshop on the conservation of avifauna in Tamenglong was held on Saturday, with a special focus on hornbills in Tamenglong town.
The Tamenglong Forest Division organised the workshop in collaboration with Rainforest Club Tamenglong (RCT) and Wildlife Explorers Manipur.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Tamenglong district's divisional forest officer, Kharibam Hitler Singh, announced that a large-scale awareness campaign will be held in villages where hornbills have been spotted, involving village volunteers and others to protect forest areas while taking into account the cultural and ecological values of conserving this bird.
The forest officer mentioned that hornbills, recognised as "natural forest farmers," exhibit unique characteristics and are absent in the valley, unlike their presence in the hills.
Nehemiah Panmei, advisor of RCT, shared a similar sentiment during the event, stating that people are now using coloured paper instead of hornbill feathers during traditional dances.
After Amur falcon conservation efforts, the push to raise awareness about hornbill conservation is encouraging, he said, adding that hornbills are tree planters, and it is hoped that such initiatives may contribute to improving livelihoods.
Participating in the day-long programme, assistant director Dr. Rajat Bhargava of the Bombay Natural History Society emphasised the importance of preserving and conserving the critically endangered species.
He informed that India has nine hornbill species, of which at least six are found in the Tamenglong district of Manipur. He mentioned that hornbills are now very rare, and people seldom see them.
According to him, depletion of forests, hunting, and climate change are significant threats to hornbills and contributing factors to the declining population of these birds, known for their ecological values.
The Indian Grey Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rufous-Necked Hornbill, Austen’s Brown Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, and Great Hornbill are reportedly found in the Northeast. According to reports, there are approximately 62 known species of hornbills.