Have you ever heard of hornbills or hornbills? The bird, which is famous for its large and unique beak, is an endemic animal that lives in the interior of the forest.
You certainly often see the feathers and beak of this beautiful bird on the headdress of the Dayak traditional clothes. The hornbill is highly respected and sacred by the local community because it helps a lot to preserve the forests of Kalimantan. But did you know that this beautiful bird is included in the list of endangered animals in the world?
The rampant poaching and deforestation are the main causes of the scarcity of this sonorous bird in its habitat. Even the practice of hunting has been carried out since the Ming Dynasty, you know! Wow, what are the hornbills being hunted for? Let's look at the facts about the hornbill, as a reminder for us to always maintain its existence in the wild.
Respected and Sacred
Each part of the hornbill's body has its own meaning for the Dayak community, so that this bird becomes a respected and sacred fauna. You can find hornbill decorations in almost every Dayak house.
The use of feathers and bird heads to decorate traditional clothes is a form of respect for them. Especially for the bird's head, only the most important people in the Dayak tribe can wear it.
Bird feathers for decoration of traditional clothes are obtained from feathers that fall in the forest, or from birds that have died of age. Likewise with his head, not obtained from hunting. Because for the Dayak people, hornbills are 'haram' to be hunted and eaten.
Symbol of Loyalty
Hornbills are also believed to be a symbol of loyalty. One of the famous traits of this beautiful bird is that it will only have one partner for the rest of its life. A pair of hornbills will perch on a tall tree branch to make a nest.
After the female bird incubates the eggs, the male bird will go to find food for the female bird and her young. The female bird will remain in the nest to raise her young until they are adults and are ready to leave the nest.
Poaching Since the Ming Dynasty
Although it is considered sacred, in fact many irresponsible people out there make hornbills a target for poaching. Even the practice has been done since the Ming Dynasty! The ivory hornbill is a prime target for the black market.
Most of the buyers are Chinese royalty, who consider the ivory hornbill's beak as a sign of social status, luck, fashion interests, and a giver of aesthetic value. The red and ivory beak is often used as a home decoration.
Even the eyeballs of these exotic birds are used as accessories to support beauty such as bracelets and necklaces.
One Step Towards Extinction
In 2012-2013, at least 6000 ivory hornbills were hunted for their cranium. The reduced population of this bird in the wild makes it included in the list of endangered animals. Killing 1 male hornbill is the same as killing 1 family, considering that the female bird and her chicks are very dependent on the food brought by the male bird. Oh, sad huh? It's sad again, even though the animal protection law has been enacted, this illegal hunting practice is still ongoing.
The feathers and beak of the hornbill on the Dayak traditional clothes are not just decorations. Apart from being an ancestral symbol, the implicit message conveyed is that the hornbill is a proud animal that must be preserved so that it does not become extinct from the face of the earth.