Malaysian hornbill bust reveals live trafficking trend in Southeast Asia
Malaysian hornbill bust reveals live trafficking trend in Southeast Asia
Last month, authorities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia seized a shipment of eight live hornbills, including a baby helmeted hornbill. The helmeted hornbill is considered critically endangered and was hunted to near extinction for its bill by poachers. Although the feathers and bill casques of different hornbill species are known to be bought and sold on the black market, it is less common to see live specimens trafficked internationally. As incidents like this one in Malaysia occur more frequently, conservation experts and authorities are growing in their concern for the threatened, endangered, or near-extinct hornbill species that are native to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Earlier this year, Indonesian authorities discovered the first case of live hornbills being brought into Indonesia from the Philippines. The birds were native to the Philippines. This is an atypical arrangement, as more often authorities find traffickers bringing live hornbill specimens out of the country or between islands. Both in the Indonesian bust and in the more recent Malaysian case, it is unclear where the birds originate from. Were they bred in captivity? Caught in the wild? Or brought in from other countries? The answers to these questions could help point authorities toward the best course of action for preventing the poaching, trafficking, and abuse of these species.
A recent census of seizure reports conducted by TRAFFIC finds the smattering of live trafficking busts in Southeast Asia represent only the tip of the iceberg. Over the last six years, there were 99 incidents of live hornbill trafficking discovered by authorities. And over the last ten years, over three thousand helmeted hornbill casques, heads, and skulls were seized across six countries. The trade in these birds’ unique and beautiful casks does not appear to be slowing down. And with habitat loss due to deforestation and land development, sensitive hornbill species are dwindling in population across Southeast Asia. Some poachers hunt and kill the birds for their casques, while others capture and likely attempt to “farm” the birds – although experts claim most hornbills are too delicate to survive in captivity.
In order to slow or stop the growth of the live trade of these birds, authorities in stakeholder countries must address the places where these transactions begin: online marketplaces. While governments can contribute to prevention efforts by banning advertising protected wildlife online, platforms themselves are responsible for much of the enforcement that needs to take place.
Sources:
https://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/why-birds-are-answer-saving-malaysian-forests