Xploregaia - Hornbill Research and Conservation in Malaysia

15/04/2024

Innovative conservation.

Did you know that even though hornbills are tree cavity nesters, they can't make cavities themselves? They need the engineers of the forest 🐻🐝🐿️🦉🦜

But we've learnt from the Thailand hornbill project that human beings can "renovate" tree cavities to make them hornbill suitable.

We have to be careful and check if these cavities are being used, we don't want to evict other species! Look how annoyed the Red giant flying squirrel looks when we disrupted its slumber.

Local community folks that are now professional climbers, employed under the grant and trained under the sponsorship of are needed to go high up into the canopy and dangle from great heights, to fix these unsuitable cavities. It takes strength, courage and a whole lot of creativity to make hornbill suitable cavities.

15/03/2024

10/03/2024

Our recent efforts to conserve Malaysian hornbills… the only way is up!

CRACCKKK! “Oi! Hati-hati! (Careful!)” a concerned voice called out as a tree branch came crashing from above. In an instant, I saw my life flash past me. Out here, in this verdant green forest was NOT where I intended my life to end.

08/03/2024

Our pride campaign with two villages Kampung Bilit and Kampung Sukau took place on 24th February 2024. The event started at 7am with a children's colouring competition. Then, the kids played a game called "hornbills in the mist". The kids looked for ping pong balls that had a photo of a hornbill on it and these ping pong balls were buried in flour. They had to dig through the flour to find the ping pong balls using a spoon held in their mouth 😂

Our representative Helson spoke about the 10 species of hornbills, threats, nest boxes and cavity restoration. He also did a special mention on helmeted hornbill and the laws and penalty of hunting.

We had Puan Sylvia of Sabah Wildlife Department share about the need for wildlife permits and the penalties for keeping wildlife illegally. She also spoke about crocodiles and gave tips on how to avoid conflicts with them.

PG Sahlan of Sabah Forestry Department spoke about nest boxes and the issues of these boxes being taken over by other cavity nesting animals.

Klinik kesihatan representative spoke about the dangers of rabies and they were also there to conduct health checks such as blood pressure readings for the participants. The adults played "Tarik tali". One big team showed up from Sukau Greenview Lodge to participate in this sporting event while the HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project Wildlife Survey and Protection team (WSP) set up a nest box in Sukau village. We hope the box will instill love and a sense of pride among the locals, especially when it is occupied by a pair of hornbills!

Thank you to Yayasan Sime Darby Hutan Environmental Awareness Programme - HEAP Seratu Aatai Sabah Forestry Department and for making this event possible!

14/02/2024

13 Februari adalah atau rangkong. Peringatan ini dimulai pada tahun 1993 oleh Hornbill Research Foundation, Mahidol University, Thailand.

Berawal dari karakteristik enggang yang unik yaitu hanya berpasangan satu sepanjang hidupnya alias monogami. sehingga tanggal ini dipilih karena bedekatan dengan peringatan hari kasih sayang dan enggang cocok dijadikan simbol kesetian dan cinta abadi.

Kamu bisa juga lho mengambil peran untuk kelestarian enggang sambil memperingati hari enggang ini dengan berdonasi melalui pembelian kaos "Menyoal Cinta Hanya Kami yang Setia", hasil pembelian dari kaos ini akan digunakan keperluan konservasi burung enggang di Kalimantan Barat.

Cus main ke Tokopedia; RekamNusantara_OfficialMerch atau klik tautan di bio kami.

13/02/2024

Would you give up a tasty treat for your gal?

A hornbill would! Hornbills are monogamous meaning they pair for life. Hornbills have a unique, elaborate & complex courtship feeding... a truly fascinating aspect. These sweet lovers demonstrate their pair bonding, communication and trust through the act of passing food. From this phase, the committed pair would move into the nesting season, where the male continuously demonstrates his hunting skills, and by providing the female and their offspring with nutritional meals."

31/12/2023

It’s been a wonderful 2023…… the thrills are captured in a short recap. Our team has tirelessly toiled in Sabah and has successfully installed 6 artificial nests with Gibbon Tree Care and HUTAN-KOCP, conducted a two-day workshop for the Sabah Hornbill Action Plan with over 90 participants and collaborators, successfully grown over 525 hornbill food plants and rescued one Oriental-pied hornbill with the help of Sabah Wildlife Department Ms Sylvia.

In the northern Peninsula, our team monitored 3 nesting hornbills closely, discovered up to 40 cavity-bearing trees by 2023, conducted flying foxes flyout counts, conducted an awareness campaign with over 200 attendees with Nature Based Solutions and documented various hornbill species and behaviours.

The two pocket exhibitions held for a month in the southern peninsula and KL city attracted over 70,000 visitors while we also participated in 3 charity auctions including with Save Wild Tigers.

Switching gears, we’re always up for something new, our team has undergone vigorous training to receive climbing and UAV certifications.

Part of our highlights is being able to present at the 8th International Hornbill Conference with experts from around the globe as well as continuously collaborating with various other NGO’s.

Of course, this is only possible with the support from our partners and collaborators HUTAN-KOCP, Yayasan Sime Darby, Yayasan Hasanah, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Phoenix Zoo, Rufford Foundation, Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department, PERHILITAN, Nature Based Solutions, The Datai Pledge, Mandai Nature, PELINDUNG, Justice for Wildlife Malaysia, Save Wild Tigers, Danau Girang Field Centre, Seratu Aatai, Malaysian Nature Society, Borneo Bird Club, Hornbill Specialist Group, 1StopBorneo, BirdLife Asia, Sunway University, fellow colleagues and dear friends that has always kept their faith and keeping us moving in the right direction.

01/12/2023

In terms of body mass, the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is the largest of the Asian hornbills. Having a massive wingspan of 150 – 178 cm and dramatically down-turned pointed bills, they are certainly a sight to behold when they are soaring above the dense rainforests.

However, a look at the frontal profile of their head reveals a cute, curious, and funny look. This angle clearly shows their recognizable U – shaped casque that looks somewhat like the two horns of an ox. The Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus seemed to have taken this feature of the hornbill as the key inspiration for its scientific name, Buceros from the Latin “becerus” which means “horned like an ox” and bicornis which translates to “double horned”.

27/11/2023

It is with a heavy heart I pen my thoughts down today. We have lost a colleague and dear friend in our organisation Gaia. Azmi joined us in August 2022 and he was a stellar employee. He was friendly, easy going and ever willing to take on any task at hand. “Ringan tangan” as the saying goes. I still remember the day I interviewed him and how impressed I was by his demeanour and attitude. I turned to Sanjit and said, it’s like we dreamt this guy into life… he was everything we were looking for, for the hornbill project. Throughout his time with us, he never had a complain about his job, even though working in the field can be really challenging. Then, life took a strange turn cause by September, he was admitted in the hospital for cancer. If anyone could beat lung cancer, I was adamant it would be him. He was admitted in September and by end November, we had lost him. I remember my last conversation with him about a week ago… we were planning his future workload during his recovery period. He told me he was happy to help out in the project. I told him that one day, we’ll be out looking for hornbills and you can tell us all about your survival story, how you beat cancer. He laughed and agreed.

I can’t believe you didn’t make it Azmi… thank you for all you have done for our natural world, for the beautiful hornbills. Your contribution will forever be valued and we will miss you dearly.

I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Yayasan Sime Darby by for helping us seek the best health care possible for him during his ordeal.

Dr. Ravinder Kaur, Scientific Director, Gaia.

24/11/2023

Being great husbands and fathers, male hornbills are responsible for delivering food to the females and chicks that are sealed inside their nesting cavities during the breeding season. The males often need to deliver as many food items as possible at a time just to meet the dietary demands of the females and chicks for the day! Without shopping bags, how do the male hornbills accomplish this crucial task?

Forest-dwelling hornbills do this by using a body part called the ‘gular pouch’ which is a fleshy structure located on the bird’s throat. Like the cheek pouches of hamsters, the gular pouch can store multiple food items at a time to be regurgitated whole and undamaged at a later time!

This image shows a female Wreathed hornbill soaring through a valley with a gular pouch full of freshly picked juicy figs. Where would she head to next?

17/11/2023

🌳 Gaia is reaching new heights! Our team has been on a weeklong Tree-Climbing certification programme led by the one and only Unding, an arborist 🌿🌏 who has successfully scaled the tallest tree in the tropics. (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/worlds-tallest-tropical-tree-discovered-climbed-borneo)

Our team mates are now certified climbers ⭐️ We're excited to go where the hornbills go. We look forward to seeing this tree-climbing skill amp up our hornbill conservation efforts. None of this would've happened without our funders, the amazing Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance. They've been a great supporter, making all of this possible 🌳.

*F

10/11/2023

'Saving Malaysia's Iconic Birds: The Pocket Exhibitions' made its way to the Southern gem of Peninsular Malaysia, Johor State! 🌍🌟 Hosted at Zenith Mall Johor, we were thrilled to showcase the incredible hornbill artwork by the talented Sanjitpaal Singh to the masses. 🙏 With a heart full of gratitude, we welcomed an amazing 48,247 visitors and hope that the love for hornbills has touched each of your hearts, inspiring Malaysians to continue protecting these precious species. This exhibition would not have been possible without the generous support of Yayasan Sime Darby and Zenith Mall. 🤝🙌

27/10/2023

A closer encounter with one of the many hornbill species that adorn our skies may reveal eyelashes that are more luscious and fabulous than that of Beyonce’s. However, these aren’t technically eyelashes as hair is a feature only restricted to mammals. Amazingly, some birds have independently developed modified eyelid feathers as adaptations that serve similar functions to the eyelashes of mammals…keeping debris out of the eye!

In hornbills, zoologists suggest that these lash-like feathers serve as sunglasses that shade their eyes from direct sunlight without creating any ‘blind spots’ in their field of vision. 😎😎😎

29/09/2023

The black and white portrait image of a tiger roaring is a reflection of the majestic and awe-inspiring presence of these magnificent creature of intense power and grace.

Tigers are one of the most iconic and revered animals in the world, with a powerful presence that demands respect and admiration. In this image, I wanted to focus on the face and expression of the tiger, highlighting its sharp eyes, prominent whiskers, and fierce teeth.

By depicting the tiger in black and white, I also wanted to emphasize the contrast and texture of its fur, as well as the timeless quality of the image.

Through this image, I hope to inspire a sense of wonder and reverence for these incredible creatures, as well as a deeper appreciation for the importance of protecting and conserving them and their habitats. By capturing the intensity of the tiger’s roar, I also wanted to underscore the power and beauty of nature, and to encourage viewers to recognize the vital role that tigers, and other top predators play in maintaining the balance of ecosystems.

In a world where many species are facing threats from human activities, it is more important than ever to recognize and appreciate the beauty and value of the natural world, and to take action to protect and conserve it for future generations.

Through my works, I hope to contribute to this broader conversation and inspire viewers to take action to support conservation efforts and to cherish the diversity.

This artwork is 1 of 1 and I’m honoured to have it auctioned at the Datai with Save Wild Tigers.



.rimau Christine Das

26/09/2023

22/09/2023

The White-Crowned Hornbill, known as the "Carnivore Hornbill," stands as a remarkable emblem of the wild. Measuring 80-100cm in size, the White-crowned hornbill (B. comatus) are a forest edge preferring species.

With its striking white head and elegant black plumage, this avian predator exudes an air of regal authority. Notice its piercing stare?

Nestled within the lush foliage of its habitat, it commands attention not only for its majestic appearance but also for its carnivorous hunting skills foraging for arthropods in plantations. In other areas, they actively hunt in the trees, probing the bark and vines for prey and even drops down to the ground regularly for insects, snakes, lizards, small bird's chicks, eggs, and small mammals.

Equipped with a formidable beak, it effortlessly captures small creatures, and is a testament to the intricate balance of the animal kingdom.

21/09/2023

It’s going to be a week of art and wildlife – and that alone is amazing because it’s a heartfelt representation of emotional landscapes experienced by artists and globally renowned photographers, for the species that are dear to us all.

I am grateful to contribute my artworks for this charity benefit.

08/09/2023

Are you a fan of the Ylang Ylang scent? Then you have something in common with the hornbills!

Hornbills love this plant and in Kinabatangan, we have seen Rhinoceros hornbills and Wrinkled hornbills feeding on these fruits. We’ve also seen them being fed on by Orangutans.

It’s scientific name is Cananga odorata and their seeds look almost like the seeds of watermelon seeds. Based on a study in Sulawesi by Kinnaird and her team, one Red Knobbed hornbill can consume up to 5,000 fruits thus moving approximately 30,000 seeds in the process, annually. How cool is that?

With the team's support, our in-house botanist Hemaharshni Nagarajan is working diligently to study figs in Gaia's project in Kinabatagan.

31/08/2023

On this Independence Day, let us not forget our endangered Malaysians that continuously strive to provide us with fresh air and water through their spectacular ecological services as seed dispersers.

Selamat hari Merdeka!

19/08/2023

Hornbills and Toucans are sometimes mistakenly identified as the same bird.

Although they look similar because of its large bills, hornbills and toucans belong to different families. Hornbills belong to the Bucerotidae family and Toucans are belong to the Ramphastidae family.

18/08/2023

A glimmer of hope for the hornbill! 🙌 In 2019, we found an active nest, but it was vacant in 2020 and 2021 due to the collapse of the tree cavity floor. However, our team didn't give up and on May 3, 2022, with the help of HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project , we successfully restored the tree cavity. 🌳 And guess what? Our camera trap images revealed that the restored cavity is already attracting hornbills! 📷 We can't wait for the breeding season to start and see these beautiful birds making a comeback in their natural habitat. 🌿

28/06/2023

28/06/2023

24/05/2023

Today marked the end of the international hornbill conference in Bangkok and we're happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of it.

Thank you for giving us this opportunity to connect and learn from other hornbill experts across the world. Looking forward to the next one in South Africa!

With
ia.k

18/05/2023

The 8th is getting closer!

17/05/2023

11/05/2023