MIRI: The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) is investigating the death of an Oriental Pied Hornbill after its carcass was found in a bushy area along Jalan Baram.
Following the discovery, which went viral on social media, SFC retrieved the bird and transported it to its Miri Regional Office for further examination to determine the cause of death.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page today (July 20), SFC said the Oriental Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) is one of eight hornbill species found in Sarawak and across Borneo.
“Also known as the Oriental Pied Hornbill (OPH), it is regarded as an iconic hornbill species in Miri due to its ecological importance and strong association with the local community, particularly in the Piasau area,” it said.
Globally, the species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), indicating that it is not currently considered threatened.
However, SFC noted that habitat loss, the destruction of nesting trees and land-use changes continue to place pressure on local populations in several areas.
The corporation said the Oriental Pied Hornbill is fully protected under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998. In Sarawak, the species is managed and monitored by SFC through wildlife law enforcement, population monitoring and habitat conservation efforts.
According to SFC, the Oriental Pied Hornbill population in Miri has continued to grow since the Malaysian Nature Society identified Piasau Camp as a nesting site in 2008, followed by the gazettement of the Piasau Nature Reserve in 2013.
The species has also been recorded in the Seria area of Brunei, particularly in locations with remaining forest trees and green spaces.
“The interconnected tropical forest landscape shared by Sarawak, Brunei and the rest of Borneo enables the birds to move across administrative boundaries and utilise habitats throughout the region,” it said.
In view of the increasing Oriental Pied Hornbill population, particularly from Piasau to Kuala Baram in Miri, SFC advised residents and motorists to exercise caution and slow down when travelling through these areas to help prevent similar incidents from occurring.
