Hornbills are tough farmers of the forest known for their skills in dispersing seeds of forest trees. The seeds are dispersed through regurgitation or defecation as the birds’ digestive system leave the seeds intact. With a range of nearly 100,000 hectares, hornbills help forest to regenerate.
The occurrence of hornbills in the forest indicates presence of large trees in the area. On the other hand, hornbill population is closely linked to a healthy forest because hornbills need diverse fruit trees for feeding and large trees with cavities for nesting. In other words, protecting the hornbills means protecting the forest and the carbon stored within.