Locally extinct rhinoceros hornbill excites photographers with rare appearance at Sungei Buloh

Wildlife photographers gather to snap pictures of a locally extinct rhinoceros hornbill

A locally extinct rhinoceros hornbill left wildlife enthusiasts in awe as it recently made an appearance at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

The rare creature is a native species, and wildlife conservation agencies have been working towards its reintroduction.

Photographers gather at Sungei Buloh on 28 Oct to catch glimpse of locally extinct hornbill

On Tuesday (28 Oct), a crowd of 70 to 80 people formed at Eagle Point — a lookout point at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve — to catch a glimpse of the locally extinct rhinoceros hornbill.

As it perched on a tree, its unique red and yellow casque stood out among the luscious green trees.

From certain angles, the large hornbill appears to flaunt its white tail, marked by a broad black band across it.

Some lucky photographers even managed to capture the rare bird in flight.

According to Bernard Seah in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group, the hornbill in question was a young male.

As he had only encountered the species in Johor, he “rushed down” upon hearing about the sighting.

Speaking to MS News, Seah said that when he reached at 11.20am, people were “spread out” as the hornbill had flown to a different part of the reserve.

When he eventually found the bird, he was “elated beyond words”.

“It took me a while to find the bird, but it was worth the effort and the drive there to see one of the most beautiful creatures in the world!” the 56-year-old wildlife conservationist wrote in his post.

In response to queries by MS News, Alex Han — who was among the group of birders — noted that some people arrived as early as 7am to look for the hornbill.

“So happy to see this lovely hornbill back in our red dot,” Han said, adding that one would normally have to visit Malaysia to see the species.

Another user on Facebook shared that some people heard the hornbill’s calls the previous day.

When he reached the scene, a crowd had already formed, although the animal stayed “far in the woods”.

Singapore Hornbill Project aims to reintroduce the species

Launched in 2004, the Singapore Hornbill Project, a collaborative effort between the National Parks Board and Mandai Wildlife Reserve, has been working to enhance the “bird life” in Singapore.

The project has since been successful in reintroducing the oriental pied hornbill to Singapore.

Compared to the oriental pied hornbill, the rhinoseros hornbill is much bigger and rarer.

It is also a native species that has since become locally extinct.

Today, part of the Singapore Hornbill Project’s efforts include increasing the population of the rhinoceros hornbill.

Also read: Locally endangered snail sighted at East Coast Park, netizens captivated by rare find

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Featured image adapted from Bai Qw on Facebook and Bernard Seah on Facebook.