Sarawak has been known as the Land of the Hornbills for ages. The world may or may not know about this.
After the launch of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) on January 19 and the recent GPS Flag Rally from one end of the state to the other (Lawas to Kota Samarahan), many more people in the world are now definitely aware of the state’s proud and historic association with the hornbills.
This is because the logo of GPS, a coalition of four Sarawak based parties namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), depicts a hornbill symbolising the coalition’s resolve to fight and preserve the state’s rights.
Just as the beautiful hornbill, known locally as Burung Kenyalang in the Iban and Malay language, deserves all the protection that it needs to avoid extinction, Sarawak also feels that its state rights should be protected from being extinguished.
The Sarawak government led by GPS is now fighting hard to reclaim all its eroded rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). It regards itself as a partner to Malaya and will work with the federal government led by Pakatan Harapan (PH) as long as its rights are protected.
Now, the world will remember Sarawak is the Land of the Hornbills everytime they see the GPS flag.
Do you know why Sarawak is called the Land of the Hornbills? It is because many hornbills can be found in most parts of the state.
However, if you are a Sarawakian, have you seen a hornbill before? Frankly speaking, it is not easy to see one nowadays. If you live in Kuching City, try heading to Kubah National Park, approximately 23 kilometres west of the city. It is said there are hornbills there.
If you live in Miri City, you can head to Piasau Nature Reserve. The urban park is famous for its rare hornbills and is probably the only urban centre in the state or even country where a number of the totally protected bucerotidae species is surviving.
I saw my first hornbill when I was in primary school aeons ago – on the cover of a school textbook. Was it a mathematics textbook? So much water has flowed under the bridge that my memories have become somewhat fuzzy. However, I remember being so fascinated by the picture of the hornbill that I drew it in my art class.
If you visit an Orang Ulu settlement in Miri Division or travel up the mighty Rajang River in Sibu Division, you may see the black and white tail feathers of the rhinoceros hornbill adorning precious heirlooms, particularly the traditional head-dresses and regalia.
Long ago, this hornbill was widely hunted for its tail feathers.Nowadays, the native community recreate the black and white feathers out of other materials such as synthethics because hornbills in Sarawak are totally protected species under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance (1998). Penalties for keeping a hornbill as a pet, killing, hunting, capturing, selling, trading or disturbing them or possessing any recognisable parts of the birds include a RM25,000 fine and three years’ jail.
Although all hornbill species are revered, the rhinoceros hornbill has a special place in most native cultures in Sarawak.
Usually four feet long with a whitish belly and white tail with a black band through the middle, the. rhinoceros hornbill forms part of Sarawak’s state crest and is the state bird.
Rhinoceros hornbills are found mostly in the primary lowland dipterocarp and hill forest. For the Dayaks in the state, hornbills signify the spirit of God. They believe good luck and fortune await them if a hornbill is seen flying over or visiting their longhouses or homes.The Dayaks also incorporate hornbill elements into their arts, carvings and ceremonial dresses.
Sarawak is home to eight out of 54 species of hornbills in the world. Besides the rhinoceros hornbill, the other hornbill species found in the state are Oriental-pied hornbill, Black hornbill, Bushy-created hornbill, White-crowned hornbill, Helmeted hornbill, Wrinkled hornbill and Wreathed hornbill.
Most hornbills are found in Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) in Sarawak. Hornbill habitats in the state are protected by the establishment of national parks, nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Besides Kubah National Park and Piasau Nature Reserve, other places where hornbills are frequently spotted in Sarawak are Gunung Mulu National Park, Tanjung Datu National Park and Batang Ai National Park.
Although figs figure prominently in the diet of hornbills, they also feed on insects and small animals. They are also regarded as important seed dispersers in the forest. Hornbills pair for life and bond to defend against other members of their species.
During the nesting season, the female hornbill will seal itself in a tree hole with mud and there it will lay and incubate its eggs. It will remain in the nest until the eggs are hatched, depending fully on its mate to bring food which it passes through a small opening in the mud wall.
In 2015, Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) hosted the National Hornbill Conference in preparation for the International Hornbill Conference in 2017.
With so much focus on hornbills in the state lately, will such conferences make a comeback again in the near future? These conferences and the resulting publicity can help attract tourists to Sarawak and encourage them to visit our national parks.
We are indeed fortunate to be born in the Land of Hornbills which is blessed with eight out of 54 species of hornbills in the world and many other unusual fauna and flora. Sarawak is also world famous for its racial harmony and unity.
