The Gir forests of Gujarat have successfully reintroduced the Indian Grey Hornbill from local extinction, marking a two-phase recovery program that has culminated in a self-sustaining population.

In the initial phase, 40 hornbills were released between 2021 and 2023, with 11 males fitted with satellite transmitters to monitor survival, movement, habitat use, and nesting behavior.

Experts view the Gir hornbill project as a potential model for future avian reintroductions in India, highlighting the integrated approach of science, habitat restoration, community involvement, and ongoing monitoring.

Chicks are fed mostly fruits from banyan, peepal, karamda, and dhraman, with some insects, underscoring the hornbill’s role in seed dispersal and forest regeneration.

Research published in Birds details habitat use, ranging patterns, nesting preferences, and behavior, showing a preference for dry mixed deciduous forests and nesting in mature Sterculia urens and Terminalia bellirica trees.

The program emphasizes scientific conservation, habitat restoration, and active community participation as core components of the recovery effort.

Officials Mohan Ram and Jaipal Singh highlight successful breeding, shrinking home ranges, and stable habitat use as key indicators of the program’s progress.

Current status shows hornbills establishing territories, adapting to the habitat, and producing offspring, signaling progress toward a self-sustaining population.

The initiative is framed as a wildlife conservation milestone under current government leadership, with renewed focus on endangered wildlife recovery.

The hornbill acts as a long-distance seed disperser, playing a crucial ecological role in forest regeneration across Gir.

Ongoing observations confirm stable territories and continued seed dispersal, reinforcing the ecological benefits of the reintroduction.

Satellite data show home ranges shrinking from roughly 61 square kilometers during initial exploration to about 5.7 square kilometers after settlement, with daily movements decreasing from about 4.3 to 1.4 kilometers.