February 13, 2012
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Image of the Week #30, February 13th, 2012:
From: Artificial Beaks Helping to Save Hornbills from Extinction in India by John Platt at Extinction Countdown
Source: Lip Kee Yap on Flickr
The great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), is one of five hornbill species native to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. In addition to facing the perils of habitat destruction, they are threatened by hunting; their beaks form the centerpiece of traditional headpieces worn by the Nyishi people. Thanks to a conservation effort started in 2000 that offers the Nyishi synthetic bills instead of natural ones, hornbill populations are bouncing back in Arunachal Pradesh. Between 2000 and 2007, their population grew from just 500 to 2,000.
About the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.
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That is a magnificent bird and a great photograph.
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