Population assessment and habitat associations of the Visayan HornbillPenelopides paniniin Northwest Panay, Philippines

Abstract

Seven out of 10 hornbill species in the Philippines are threatened with extinction. Among these is the Endangered Visayan hornbill Penelopides panini, found on Panay and Negros islands. Threatened by habitat loss and hunting, its population size is thought to have declined from 1,800 individuals 20 years ago to less than 1,000. However, a recent study on Negros estimated 3,564 individuals across three core forest blocks. This study aims to quantify the Visayan hornbill population size in and around the Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park on Panay, the largest contiguous low-elevation forest landscape remaining across its range, and its broad habitat associations across a gradient of environmental degradation.