Back hornbill
IUCN Red List status
Programme roles
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• Insurance There is need for active coordination between institutions. Moreover, due the low genetic diversity in the population of this species under human care, active genetic management is required to accomplish this role. Additionally, active demographic management is also required as there is need to grow the ex situ population, which may compete with other hornbill species for limited space. |
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• Husbandry research for Asian hornbills This role emphasizes on using Anthracoceros malayanus as a model species to learn about husbandry issues with other species, especially those more difficult to breed and other threatened species (e.g., Sulu hornbill). • Education (Ambassador) The focus of this role is to raise awareness and educate about hornbills, especially threatened hornbill species and the threats they face, as well as general conservation issues such as palm oil and habitat loss. • Conservation education (in range) This role implies cooperative work which would include other hornbills in same area range (e.g., Rhinoceros and Greater hornbill projects) and focuses in raising awareness and education in range countries. |
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• Husbandry training This role is designed to help improve the breeding success. For it to be accomplished it requires coordination between programmes. Since black hornbills are considered a “less challenging” species than others, this species is recommended as breeding/keeping for those zoos that want to start keeping Asian hornbills. |
Programme numbers
In December 2020, the Black hornbill EEP had 25 animals in 11 institutions.
Programme highlights
- Paradise Wildlife Park (UK) recently celebrated the hatchings of two black hornbill chicks, the first ones to hatch in the past two years.
- In Zooquaria 110 (Winter 2020) on page 16 there is an article about the Hornbill TAG Regional Collection Plan.
- The EAZA 2021 Annual report has been published. To read what the activities the hornbill TAG has engaged in please visit page 28.
- The IUCN Hornbill Species Specialist Group has an website where you can find more information about hornbill conservation and also has a very active Facebook page on which they regularly publish news stories.
This work is supported by the European Union LIFE NGO funding programme. The European Union is not responsible for the views displayed in publications and/or in conjunction with the activities for which the grant is used.