Promoting the Conservation of the Vulnerable Yellow-casqued Hornbill populations in Nigeria

Ngozi Mercy Okafor

Other project team members: Julius Akang Agabi and Okwu Njideka Scholastica

The yellow-casqued hornbill (Ceratogymna elata) is a keystone seed-dispersing species vital to tropical forest regeneration, yet it is rapidly disappearing amid multiple threats. These include deforestation, intensive hunting, and a little-recognised but accelerating trade in hornbill parts for traditional medicine and voodoo markets. Recent seizures have revealed dozens of hornbill heads trafficked through Nigeria and West Africa, and global demand is increasing due to minimal legal oversight (Welz, 2025). This project will improve conservation outcomes for yellow-casqued hornbills in CRNP, Nigeria, by (1) assessing its population status and distribution using point counts, acoustic monitoring, and habitat prediction models; (2) identifying key breeding habitat to study its nesting behaviour and habitat requirements; and (3) documenting local knowledge, perceptions, and socio-economic and cultural drivers of its decline. To address exploitation, we will implement targeted behaviour-change outreach on the hornbill’s ecological role, threats, and the benefits of conserving them. We will also train community youth in species identification, monitoring, and reporting sightings to the Nigeria Bird Atlas Project to build local capacity. This will enable long-term conservation action against hunting and illegal trade, empowering local stewardship and informing policy.

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