Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) concurs with the state director of the Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department in Kuantan that the hornbill which was nesting inside a tree-hole, should have been left in that way and not have been disturbed.

SAM however, is pleased to learn that the bird is healthy and is now being released in the area where it was found. This is the first time that a hornbill has been found nesting in the lower part of a tree.

The presence of the hornbill in an inhabited area is unique as it shows the harmonious co- existence of wildlife and man and the importance of preserving their surrounding habitat .

People should be made aware that the nesting habits of these birds are peculiar in that incubating females are usually sealed into tree holes with mud, leaving only a small aperture through which food can be passed by the male.

When the young are hatched, the female breaks out but reseals the nest entrance again until the young are ready to leave.

Rescuing wildlife with the best of intentions does more harm than good to the animal. Untrained adults should not handle wildlife while children and pets should be kept away upon sighting one.

In the cases of young, lost wildlife, people should refrain from approaching it - one, to avoid stressing out the animal and two, to increase the chances of its mother returning to care for it. Young wildlife found in the wild are not necessarily abandoned.

In many cases, a wild animal removed from its natural habitat does not live for long. People are no substitutes for natural wildlife parents. Not only is the practice detrimental to wildlife, but holding native wildlife in captivity is against the law.

As a general rule, young wildlife should not be kept as pets at all. When encountered, they should be left alone as their mothers maybe nearby somewhere.


The writer is the resident of Sahabat Alam Malaysia.