Freed from their enclosure, the two female Hornbills - Ammu & Lulu have chosen to stay inside the zoological park instead of making a run for wilderness
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 27
Two free-ranging hornbills at the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP) have turned into a kind of special surprise attraction to visitors coming to the zoo.
Christened ‘Ammu’ and ‘Lulu’- the two Oriental pied hornbills were released a year back into the open to a natural non-intensive condition instead of being confined in enclosure like the rest of the animals and birds at the zoo. Free-ranging means birds or animals permitted to graze or forage in the open rather than confined to a feedlot or enclosure.
The birds, already accustomed to the presence of humans, have garnered delight and thrill from visitors, who, at first raised alarm thinking that the birds have escaped from their enclosure. For some lucky visitors, the birds would land and perch right next to them- close enough even for a quick face-to-face photo shoot.
That is not all; the hornbill birds also entertain the visitors to the zoo during their feeding time. Akin to the kingfisher, the hornbills exhibit similar precision to scoop and snatch feeds thrown their way, which has become an entertaining live show. While the birds fly around the zoological park foraging for food, most of the time, they are perched on the trees near the enclosures where other Hornbills are kept.
Thirumalainathan, Biologist at the NZP said the two hornbills, both female, were released owing to “socialization problems” among the birds when kept inside enclosure. There is a tendency of infighting when there is no compatibility amongst the Oriental Pied Hornbills, he revealed.
This is not the first time that the Oriental pied hornbills were freed to provide them “more space.” A couple of years back, four male hornbills were released after they encountered the same socialization problem. Despite having tried different strategies and routines for the birds to stay, the male ‘vagrant’ Hornbills chose to leave the zoological park area.
Heartrendingly, this time, the strategies employed apparently have succeeded on the two female hornbills, whose favorite food and a special treat, given on occasion, is the yellow egg yolk. A feeding routine have being developed such that the hornbills turn up right at schedule.
According to the biologist, the two hornbills have also become conditioned to their names; they promptly respond when their names are called. The Oriental pied hornbill species are known to be more adaptable to disturbances and can even adjust in human dominated areas.
This success of being able to induce the two hornbills to make the zoological park its home has boosted the confidence of staff at NZP to refine their strategies in providing adequate resources for the birds, Thirumalainathan said.
“What the park needs now is to transform into a safe zone for the birds. We also need to identify trees with natural cavities for them to breed if they find their mate,” the biologist pointed out. Next, the zoological park plans to release suitable males for the two female hornbills for breeding programme.
Currently, there are 16 hornbills including the free-ranging ones at the NZP. Apart from one each of the Great Indian hornbill, Wreathed hornbill, Rufous-necked hornbill and Brown hornbill, the rest are Oriental pied hornbills.
