The precious horned bird is more than ivory

A species of bird that lives in East Asia's rainforests is in danger of extinction by a horn that is three times more valuable than ivory.

Giant horned bird

According to the BBC, the rhino bird , also known as the sandy hornbill , weighs about three kilograms. They have lumps formed from keratin (a type of fiber protein) that extends along the upper beak to the skull. This hard iron horn can account for 11% of the bird's weight.

Rhino bird, also known as sand-horned crimson.(Photo: Science Photo Library).

There are more than 60 species of hornbills living in Africa and Asia, all with hollow horns, except for the sand-hat hornbill. The drum uses the horn during the fighting. In addition, both males and females use the horn like an insect digging tool from rotten tree trunks.

Rhino lives in Malaysia and Indonesia, concentrating on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They often eat fruits and nuts so they are dubbed the "farmers of the jungle" because of the role of spreading seeds while eating.

Rhino birds are hunted for horns.(Photo: Science Photo Library).

Birds have wingspan of up to two meters, black and white fur and large bare skin around the throat. They are known for their vigilance and ability to hide.

Every year, thousands of hornbills are killed for horns and poachers often sell birds to China. In 2012-2014, authorities collected 1,111 horns from smuggling organizations in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Yokyok Hadiprakarsa, researcher of hornbills, estimates about 6,000 birds are killed every year in East Asia.

The horn of rhino is sometimes referred to as "ivory". This is a beautiful material for carving with smooth surface and yellow color due to oil secretions. Most birds use their heads to rub protective oils from this gland to the fur, legs and feet.

For hundreds of years, Chinese artisans have loved rhino horn and used it to craft things for wealthy aristocrats. Japanese carvers also use rhino horns to create delicate objects worn on men's kimono belts.

Carved objects made from rhino horn.(Photo: nhm.ac.uk).

"Some notes mention the donation of rhino horns to the generals. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, the rhino became very rare due to hunting ," Noriku Tsuchiya, the manager of Japan in Bao. British Museum, said.

Illegal rhino horn trafficking continues secretly. Rhino horns cost $ 6,150 per kilogram, more than three times the price of ivory. Unlike ivory hunting and rhino horns that are becoming the focus of attention, killing horns for horns has not received much attention from the authorities."If no one focuses on monitoring, the rhino will become extinct," Hadiprakarsa warned.

This slow-growing bird is not only threatened by hunting but is also losing its habitat. As palm oil is increasingly popular in the West, palm growers are destroying rainforests in Asia. Researchers at the National University of Singapore estimate that Sumatra and Borneo lost nearly 3% of the lowland rainforest area each year. According to the International Organization for Conservation of Nature, numbness "belongs to the category of near extinction and needs to be carefully monitored to avoid further decline in the future".