Rs 1 crore sanctioned for nation’s 1st hornbill conservation centre at Anamalai Tiger Reserve
As part of the initiative, the department will provide incentives to private owners who protect hornbill habitats.
Hornbill (X/@supriyasahuias)
CHENNAI: The State’s environment, climate change and forest department has sanctioned Rs 1 crore under the Endangered Species Conservation Corpus Fund to establish the nation’s first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
As part of the initiative, the department will provide incentives to private owners who protect hornbill habitats.
Supriya Sahu, the department secretary, said that the State government has accorded administrative sanction for the establishment of the centre to protect one of the most ecologically significant and charismatic birds of the Asian tropics.
“This landmark initiative places Tamil Nadu at the forefront of hornbill conservation in India and is a major stride towards preserving tropical forest ecosystems in the Western Ghats. Hornbills play a vital ecological role as seed dispersers, facilitating the regeneration of tropical forests. However, these keystone species face growing threats due to habitat degradation, deforestation, and climate change,” she added.
Under the project, four species of hornbills found in the Western Ghats, such as the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus), Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus), and Indian Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros birostris), will be protected.
Moreover, the centre will assist the department in conducting cutting-edge research, habitat mapping, nest protection, climate impact assessment, citizen science initiatives, and capacity building for forest staff and local communities.
Of allocated Rs one crore, Rs 10 lakh will be utilised for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Rs 59.4 lakh for the construction of the centre.
The department will spend Rs 12.6 lakh for habitat assessment and Rs 12 lakh for habitat mapping, species mapping, stakeholder awareness and others. Rs 6 lakh will be used for incentives to private owners who protect hornbill habitats.
“This initiative is yet another milestone in Tamil Nadu’s bold conservation journey, following the establishment of India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve, the Nilgiri Tahr Project, Slender Loris Conservation Centre and AI-powered elephant conservation in Madukkarai. With the creation of the Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation, Tamil Nadu has become the first state in the country to institutionalise hornbill conservation at this scale,” Supriya Sahu said.
