Those fascinating hornbills

Subject : Environment

Context-

The logo for India’s upcoming G20 presidency was officially unveiled recently at the Hornbill festival in Nagaland.

About the Hornbill festival-

It is celebrated in Nagaland to encourage inter-tribal interaction.
It is one of the largest indigenous festivals organised by the state government of Nagaland to promote tourism in the state.
The festival is celebrated annually in the first week of December in order to preserve, protect and revive the uniqueness and richness of the Naga heritage.
The festival is considered the “Festival of Festivals” in Nagaland.
The festival is named after the bird – Hornbill which is the most revered and admired bird for the Nagas.
The festival is a tribute to this bird, known for its qualities of grandeur and alertness.

About the great hornbill-

Found in the Himalayan foothills, the Northeast and the Western Ghats.
It is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala.
The wreathed hornbill, the brown hornbill and the rufous-necked hornbill are slightly smaller and only found in Northeast India.
Malabar grey hornbill is found in western ghats.
The Indian grey hornbill is found all over (except the Thar Desert).
Hornbills prefer tall trees for their nests (breast height being 1.5 metres or more). The Tualang trees of Southeast Asia are a preferred habitat for hornbills.
They play a vital role in dispersing the seeds of about 80 rainforest trees.
Some trees, such as the cup-calyx white cedar suffer a 90% decline in seed dispersal.

Threats faced are-

Deforestation and the felling of tall trees
Hunting and poaching
The helmeted hornbill of Sumatra and Borneo is critically endangered because its helmet-like casque called red ivory, is highly prized.

Conservation status-

IUCN Red list- Vulnerable
All species except the Oriental pied hornbill are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
CITES- Appendix l