News Excerpt:

Nagaland Chief Minister has informed that the USA, Germany, and Colombia would be the partner countries for the Hornbill Festival 2023.

About the Hornbill Festival:

• Hornbill Festival is specifically celebrated on ‘Nagaland Statehood Day’ (December 1) and it continues for about 10 days. This festival is celebrated for two decades with great enthusiasm.

About Great Hornbill:

• IUCN status: Vulnerable.
  • Other Hornbill species found in India:
    • Rufous-Necked Hornbill (Aceros nipalensis); Vulnerable status;
    • Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros Undulatus): Vulnerable status;
• Location: It is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Its impressive size and color have made it important in many tribal cultures and rituals.
• Its Social Relation: In Nagaland’s indigenous traditions, the Great Indian Hornbill is considered sacred.
  • Indian Hornbill also plays an important role in conserving ecological balance and habitats, which is why it is also known as the ‘farmer of the forest’.
  • It is predominantly frugivorous (predominantly feeding on fruits) but also preys on small mammals, reptiles, and birds.
• The great hornbill is long-lived, living for nearly 50 years in captivity.

Prelims PYQ

Q. In which of the following regions of India, are you most likely to come across the 'Great Indian Hornbill' in its natural habitat? (UPSC 2016)

(a) Sand deserts of northwest India

(b) Higher Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir

(c) Salt marshes of western Gujarat

(d) Western Ghats