CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has launched “Hornbill Conservation Initiative” to safeguarde the habitats of four threatened hornbill species in the Western Ghats.

The initiative, announced in the State Assembly on Friday by Minister for Forests K. Ponmudy, focuses on protecting the Great Hornbill, Malabar Grey-Hornbill, Malabar Pied-Hornbill, and Indian Grey-Hornbill—species that are crucial to the region’s ecosystem but face growing threats from habitat destruction.

A major element of the programme is the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation, which most probably will come up at Sethumadai or Top Slip in Anamalai Tiger Reserve. The forest department will also implement measures to protect the species’ nesting trees, even on private lands.

According to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Department, “We will recognise owners of these private lands as ‘Hornbill Protectors.’ We will develop guidelines for safeguarding nest trees of all four hornbill species inside and outside protected areas and take up ecological restoration efforts to plant and protect key food and nesting trees like Dipterocarpus indicus, Cryptocarya anamalayana, and Myristica malabaricum, many of which are endangered.”

The initiative also includes a population survey, with a particular focus on the lesser-known Malabar Pied-Hornbill. The Anamalai Hills, home to significant hornbill populations, serve as critical roosting sites for these birds, especially during the breeding season.

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