By means of harvesting the redundant second chicks from wild nests, hand-rearing and subsequent release back into non-viable groups outside of protected areas.

 

Second hatched chicks, which die of starvation, are harvested

from wild nests in the Kruger National Park, Limpopo, Eastern

Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga.

 

The chicks are hand reared at Mabula Game Reserve. 

Chicks are reared in silence, wearing disguises, to prevent

habituation.

 

Once the chicks fledge, at 86 days, they are released to augment

wild groups without a female or insufficient male helpers, so as to

halt the decline of Southern Ground Hornbills in South Africa by

2015 and increase the population by 2020.

 

By Population studies and the development of a GIS Mapping Data base.

 

Sightings of ground hornbills from around Southern Africa have been collected over the past 7 years by the Project.  All this information is entered into a database and from this information, groups are plotted, nests searches are organised and new groups found.   This leads to a better understanding of the population dynamics of this species, hitherto unknown.

 

By introducing Artificial Nests where groups have lost theirs.

 

There is a lack of suitable nesting trees available for Ground Hornbills

to nest in.

Over the years, large trees have been cut down, destroyed in fires or

old trees just simply collapse.  The Project is addressing this problem

by building and supplying artificial nests to groups of birds in areas

where their nests have been lost. By doing so it is hoped that these

groups will be encouraged to breed.

 

 

By a vigorous Public Awareness campaign to stop indirect poisoning, shooting for window breaking and cultural medicinal uses.

 

The Project has an active Public Awareness and Education Programme throughout the country and overseas.  The Project produces posters and pamphlets that are handed out to community centres, landowners and schools.

 

Time is also spent talking to landowners about the importance of Southern Ground Hornbills in the Savannah Biome.  The Project also addresses issues such as poisoning, window breaking, cultural and medicinal uses.

 

By initiating a Captive Breeding Programme in South Africa and overseas.

 

In 2005 the first Southern Ground Hornbill chick in Africa, was successfully hatched in captivity at Umgeni River Bird Park, in Durban. Two Umgeni chicks are now in the wild release programme.

 

A captive chick was also hatched at Loskop Dam Nature Reserve and parent-reared.

 

Pairings are now being achieved with the captive community. 

 

By release into the original historical habitat where the birds are now extinct.

 

A plan is in place to return captive bred chicks to Africa from zoos in the USA and UK for wild release

Introduction into wild groups of a juvenile; males to wild lone females; males as helpers into wild groups

 

By a Genetic Study of Southern Ground Hornbills throughout their range.

 

A genetic study is currently being co-ordinated by the National Zoological Gardens, to determine if the Southern Ground Hornbills of South Africa are part of a population that stretches far into Africa, or if ground hornbills in different areas are subspecies.  This is extremely important for releases of captive birds that originate from different parts of Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

This Project has been actively managing the decline of Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) in the Savannah biome of South Africa since 1999.