New trade rules to save Africa's forest hornbills

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has approved a proposal to increase protection and regulate the trade of African forest hornbills.

The new regulations will safeguard African forest hornbills against unregulated international trade, a protection the species previously lacked.

Africa’s forest hornbills face growing threats from habitat loss and unregulated trade, with demand for hornbill skulls surging in recent years.

Alex Berryman, Senior Red List Officer at BirdLife International, said the listing will improve trade monitoring and strengthen countries’ commitment to the long-term conservation of Africa’s hornbills.

“Listing African hornbills in CITES Appendix II is a decisive step towards safeguarding these iconic birds, many increasingly threatened by trade and habitat loss,” Berryman said.

The birds’ unique reproductive behaviour makes them vulnerable: females rely entirely on males for months while raising their young. Hunting a male can result in the loss of an entire brood.

Despite evidence of unregulated international trade, no African hornbill had previously been listed. Experts say this gap left some of Africa’s most iconic species increasingly at risk. The new approval will limit international trade, helping to curb poaching.

“Without CITES regulation, there are no global safeguards to ensure such trade is traceable or sustainable,” the organisation stated. Across Asia, many hornbill species already benefit from CITES protection.

African hornbills play a vital ecological role. They feed on fruit and disperse seeds, sometimes kilometres from where they fed, helping forests regenerate and maintaining healthy landscapes.

BirdLife International reports a rise in online listings and international shipments, with foreign buyers increasingly influencing local hunting.

The adoption of the proposal does not ban international trade but introduces essential monitoring and reporting requirements.

“This CITES decision marks a turning point. It aligns global protection for hornbills across continents and gives African countries stronger tools to monitor and manage trade,” the organisation said.

“We now have an opportunity to create a safer future for hornbills across Africa and to strengthen global conservation efforts. Most importantly, this decision will help ensure these extraordinary birds continue to thrive,” BirdLife concluded.