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

 

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.

 

Endangered Status:

 

Analysis of our collected data shows Southern Ground Hornbills in South Africa to be “Endangered” and probably “Critically Endangered” under IUCN Criteria. Review comments can be found in “What’s News”.

Further collection of sightings data is now in progress to discover the global status at the instigation of Birdlife International.

 

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.

 

In February 2009 the first ever chick was fledged from a reintroduced group. The parents are a 9 year old, Kruger harvested, hand-reared female and a re-habilitated father. This group is free-roaming on Mabula Game reserve and is totally self-sustaining.

 

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.

 

The Mabula Ground Hornbill Project has just visited Kenya.

 

The objective of this trip to Kenya was to collect DNA samples from Southern Ground Hornbill at the top of their range in order to compare with Kruger DNA so that the National Zoological Gardens Research Department can ascertain whether there is a sub-species - needed in order to set up a Global Management Plan for SGH in Africa. As you will see in the Link to "Genetics"

we found 8 groups and caught 5 with a total 12 birds processed

in 6 days, and the precious vials of DNA samples have been

divided between Kenya Wildlife Services and the National Zoo,

who will publish a paper at the beginning of 2010.

 

Ann Turner, Co-ordinator of the Mabula Project, organized

Nick Theron, the Mabula Project Researcher, into a position

where he could capture groups of birds in the Maasai Mara. 

Kenya Wildlife Services provided permits and staff and backed

the Project to the hilt.  Without the expertise and technical

support of Simon Thomsett, as representative of the National

Museums of Kenya, the smooth running of the operation would

not have been so easy.

 

A Population Count has been initiated between Kenya Wildlife Services and the National Museums of Kenya.

 

The Capture team

Mabula Private Game Reserve, South Africa   Cell: 083 289 8610         E-mail:  project@ground-hornbill.org.za

MABULA GROUND HORNBILL CONSERVATION PROJECT