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| Photo: www.mnskuching.blogspot.com |
As time
goes by, I tend to forget all my important agendas that I had in my University.
But, it is hard to ignore seminar on Hornbill research addressed by Dr. Pilai
Poonswad sometime in 2011. Dr. Pilai
is a Professor in Microbiology Department, Mahidol University who
consistently strive to conserve big birds in Thailand. She has been honoured
“Great Mother of the Hornbills” among other conservationists on this living
planet.
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| Photo: www.khaoyai.wordpress.co |
Hornbill is one of the world’s most striking bird, with a wingspan of
almost 2 meters, feathered in marvelous colors and crowned with a regal casqued
on its beak. It is one of the rare species in tropical rain forests of Asia and
Africa, and listed as most threatened bird. With other seed-distributing animals,
the Hornbill has become fundamental in maintaining the integrity of the forest.
Its
vital role in seed dispersal of big fruit bearing trees inspired her to embark
research particularly on this species. She then established Hornbill Research
Foundation in Thailand primarily to raise endowment fund for conservation.
I belief, it is
cruelest part of life to walk away from our loving family, friends and close
community which nobody would dare. However, Dr. Pilai did this, sacrificing all
her intimates for the sake of conserving Hornbills. She vividly remembers
difficulties that she had from being chased away by wild animals besides infestations
of ticks and leeches.
Alike
human, Hornbill struggles to find better environment to reproduce and nourish
their juveniles. The GPS navigation revealed that, the Hornbills fly long
distances in search of safe nest for reproduction. She discovered that, female Hornbill tend
to live in sealed nest cavity to reproduce until fledgling could able to
survive. She also found that, speedy closing and healing of tree cavities hinders
timely reproduction and this remains silent worries for innocent birds.
However, now Dr. Pilai is a happiest woman on this planet since her innovation
of artificial nest installation proved successful.
She had
numerous challenges to convince people around rural Thailand, especially
southern tribes from hunting this bird. Nevertheless, her unique approach
“Community Based Hornbill Conservation” proved successful to handover this
significant bird to the future generations. This move addressed the
ecological problems within the community and country as a whole. Beside, it is best
suited to replicate expertise to any other countries to conserve endemic birds that
are on the verge of extinction.
