When the seeds sprout, the hornbills hatch: understanding the traditional ecological knowledge of the Ibans of Brunei Darussalam on hornbills

F Merlin Franco,Misa Juliana Minggu

doi:10.1186/s13002-019-0325-0

F Merlin Franco, Misa Juliana Minggu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0325-0

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundHornbills are known to play an important role in rainforests as agents of seed dispersal. Decades of scientific research has led to a vital body of knowledge on hornbill taxonomy, ecology, distribution, and conservation status. However, the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) that local people possess on hornbills has largely been underexplored. In 2018, we collaborated with the Iban people of Temburong, Brunei Darussalam, to study their TEK on hornbills.MethodWe collaborated with the members of the Iban community from four longhouses and four villages in Temburong, Brunei Darussalam. Our study adopts a qualitative approach; we used detailed semi-directive interviews and brief semi-structured interviews to gather data. The semi-directive interviews documented the TEK related to Hornbills in detail while the brief semi-structured interviews assessed the current status of TEK in the age group of 18–40 years.ResultsThe results show that the Iban ethnotaxonomy recognises seven folk species of hornbills, with Asian Black Hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus) and Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) considered as a single folk species. The Iban TEK on diet and reproductive behaviour of hornbills complement existing scientific records, with the Iban TEK providing additional locale-specific information on the dietary preferences, abundance and conservation threats. However, the average Iban member has lost much of this TEK, and it is the subsistence hunters and agriculturists who have conserved it.ConclusionThere is an urgent need for encouraging transmission of knowledge from the hunters and agriculturists to others through ecotourism and conservation ventures. Our study adds further support to the understanding that the TEK of local communities is an important source of locale-specific knowledge on species of high conservation value such as hornbills.

Highlights

Hornbills are large birds belonging to the Bucerotidae family and are known to possess several unique traits in the avian world such as cooperative breeding, female self-incarceration during nesting and mostly monogamous pairing [1, 2]
There is an urgent need for encouraging transmission of knowledge from the hunters and agriculturists to others through ecotourism and conservation ventures
Our study adds further support to the understanding that the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of local communities is an important source of locale-specific knowledge on species of high conservation value such as hornbills

Summary

Introduction

Hornbills are large birds belonging to the Bucerotidae family and are known to possess several unique traits in the avian world such as cooperative breeding, female self-incarceration during nesting and mostly monogamous pairing [1, 2]. Hornbills are slow-breeding species requiring large tracts of forests to survive. The island of Borneo where Brunei Darussalam is situated is home to eight species of hornbills: Anthracoceros malayanus (Asian Black Hornbill), Anthracoceros albirostris (oriental pied hornbill), Anorrhinus galeritus (Bushy-crested Hornbill), Berenicornis comatus (White-crested Hornbill/White-crowned hornbill), Buceros rhinoceros (Rhinoceros Hornbill), Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus (Wrinkled Hornbill), Rhinoplax vigil (Helmeted Hornbill) and Rhyticeros undulatus (Wreathed Hornbill). All these species except A. albirostris are of immediate concern from the conservation point of view [22]. In 2018, we collaborated with the Iban people of Temburong, Brunei Darussalam, to study their TEK on hornbills

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion