Morung Express News
Mokokchung | January 3
In a rare sighting, six Hornbill birds – three pairs – were sighted at Namen Min of Khar village under Mokokchung district today at around 2:30pm by villagers. The Khar Village Council has confirmed that the revered birds, sighted in the forest for the first time in more than three decades, have been roosting in the dense Namen forest for about three weeks now. The Khar Village Council Chairman, Imdong Ao when contacted confirmed the report and added that the village council has served prohibitory orders banning shooting of the birds.
Namen forest is located between Khar Village and Mangkolemba town and is one of the most densely forested regions in the district. According to the village council chairman, the dense Namen forest used to be a natural habitat for Hornbill birds until thirty to forty years ago where a large population of the revered birds stayed. It was initially reported that only three Hornbill birds were sighted in the forest until the 6 were sighted today. The reported rare sighting of the Hornbill has also been confirmed by the ADC Mangkolemba, Wapang Aier and DPRO Mokokchung, Chuba Walling.
Meanwhile, K. Caroline, Wildlife Warden, Dimapur, Nagaland stated that the reported sighting was yet to be confirmed by the department. The Wildlife Warden added that department personnel will be sent out on Monday to make ground observation at the site where the sightings has been reported.
Though hornbills are not uncommon in other parts of the world, it is very rare to find the majestic birds in the wild in Nagaland and has the possibility of going “locally extinct”.
Lansothung, who has conducted a systematic study of hornbills at Intangki added that Mekokla in Wokha is also another place where hornbill sightings have been reported. In general, its distribution and habitats has been pushed back to the eastern and south-eastern fringes of the state.
According to wildlife researchers, six types of hornbills were common to the state – the Great Indian hornbill, rufous-necked hornbill, brown hornbill, oriental-pied hornbill and the wreathed hornbill. The former three species have become extremely rare.
