A white-thighed hornbill in Western Uganda. LEROY Francis / hemis.fr via Alamy
Countries agreed Wednesday to new limits on the international trade in African hornbills. The spectacular birds, which play a key role in African forest ecosystems, are threatened by the growing global sale of hornbill parts.
The new restrictions were agreed to at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species now underway in Uzbekistan. A coalition of African states had proposed listing seven species of African hornbill under Appendix II of the convention, a move intended to lead to greater regulation and monitoring of the international hornbill trade, with the aim of ensuring the birds’ continued survival in the wild.
The new protection comes after reporting from Yale Environment 360 detailed the burgeoning global trade in African hornbill skulls and beaks, as well as stuffed and live birds. The e360 report, which was distributed to delegates at the CITES meeting, revealed a surge in online listings and international shipments, with poachers in some regions reporting that growing interest from foreign buyers is leading to increased hunting of hornbills.
“Listing African hornbills in CITES Appendix II is a decisive step toward safeguarding these iconic birds,” said Alex Berryman of BirdLife International, a conservation group. The measure, he said “marks a meaningful commitment by countries to the long-term conservation of Africa’s hornbills.”
Every country where these birds naturally occur reportedly voted in favor of the CITES measure, as did the U.S. and E.U., which are major destinations for hornbill parts. No countries opposed it.
“Globally, the illegal and unsustainable trade in birds is accelerating, threatening more species every year,” said Chris R. Shepherd, of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Without international regulations and controls, there are simply no mechanisms to confront the organized criminal networks driving this crisis.”
Conservationists cheered the new measure, noting that greater limits on the trade of African hornbills may also bolster protections for Asian species of the bird. Though Asian hornbills are already listed under CITES, their skulls and feathers can resemble African species, complicating enforcement.
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