Since 2015, Rangkong Gading's status on the IUCN Red List has increased three levels to CR/Critical Endangered, which previously was NT/Near Threatened (2012). This increase in status is caused by several factors, including hunting, trade in red ivory (the beak of the ivory hornbill), as well as the conversion of the forest which is the habitat of the ivory hornbill.
At the Conference of Parties (COP) CITES 17 which was held from 24 September to 5 October 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Indonesia for the first time submitted a proposal for full strengthening and affirmation of the law on the protection of the Ivory Hornbill. The proposal recommends that the strengthening and enforcement of the law on protection is not only applied to the habitat country (range state), but also to the consumer country (demand state). The proposal was finally accepted by CITES COP17 on October 2, 2016 and was approved by all parties present at the conference.
The CITES resolution regarding the Ivory Hornbill encourages collaboration between habitat countries in anti-poaching efforts and monitoring the impact of hunting on populations. In addition, this resolution also encourages the relevant countries (range and demand states) to create and implement a conservation action plan for the Ivory Hornbill, as well as to educate the public.
As a follow-up to the COP17 CITES resolution on the Ivory Hornbill, Indonesia as one of the habitat countries will hold a consolidation meeting towards a strategic action plan for the Ivory Hornbill conservation. Prior to the consolidation meeting, the Directorate of Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia held a preparatory meeting for the Consolidated Ivory Hornbill conservation meeting on a national scale which will be held in Medan City. The city of Medan was chosen as the location because it is one of the export points for red ivory shipments abroad, especially to China.
The first preparatory meeting was held on March 15 2017, followed by a second preparatory meeting on April 28, 2017. Both meetings were held at the Manggala Wanabakti Central Building, Palmerah, West Jakarta. Rangkong Indonesia was also involved in the preparation of the Consolidation Meeting for the Conservancy of the Ivory Rangkong. Besides the Indonesian hornbill, the Directorate General of Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement, Forestry Research and Development Center, and several other environmental NGOs such as the Wildlife Conservation Society-Indonesia, Flora Fauna International-Indonesia, and the Zoological Society of London-Indonesia were also present.
In the preparatory meeting for the consolidation meeting, the parties exchanged information they had regarding recent ivory hornbill hunting and trade. After that, the preparatory meeting was continued with the formulation of the agenda for the consolidation meeting, including the location of the meeting and who would be included in the regional consolidation meeting.
Based on the results of the meeting, a national consolidation meeting was held in Medan City, North Sumatra on May 16, 2017. The national consolidation meeting invited various parties such as representatives from the relevant Directorate General of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, BKSDA representatives in Sumatra and Kalimantan, representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. National Parks in Sumatra and Kalimantan and university representatives in Sumatra and Kalimantan. This consolidation meeting certainly involved NGOs related to the Ivory Hornbill issue which included the Indonesian Hornbill, Indonesian Bird, Nusantara Bird, Flora Fauna International Indonesia (FFI Indonesia), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), TFCA Sumatra, TFCA Kalimantan, UNDP Project Tiger, USAID BIJAK, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), WWF Indonesia, Palung Foundation, Planet Indonesia Foundation, IARI Foundation, Titian Foundation, Indonesian Orangutan Foundation, and Zoological Society London (ZSL). In addition, several private institutions were also invited, such as the Association of Indonesian Zoos (PKBSI), the Association of Indonesian Flora and Fauna Entrepreneurs (HAPFFI), PT. Indonesian Ecosystem Restoration (PT. REKI), PT. Restoration Ecosystem Riau (PT. RER), PT. Indonesian Orangutan Restoration (PT. RHOI), PT. RAPP, and PT. APP
The Ivory hornbill conservation consolidation meeting discussed several strategic issues, including collecting data on the distribution and population of the Ivory hornbill, collecting threat data (habitat, hunting and trade), discussing what efforts have been, are being, and will be carried out in the Ivory hornbill conservation effort. (education, awareness campaigns, local wisdom, area protection, patrols, research, ex-situ conservation efforts, etc.). In addition, the meeting will also carry out mapping of key stakeholders in ivory hornbill conservation efforts, efforts to promote policies, and mapping of challenges that have been, are being, and will be faced.
