Helmeted hornbills' solid red beak sells for several times the price of elephant ivory due to soaring demand on the Chinese black marketA virtually unknown ivory poaching crisis is rapidly driving one of the world's most spectacular birds to extinction, a global wildlife summit has heard.The helmeted hornbill, found mainly in Indonesia, Borneo and Thailand, has a solid red beak which sells as a "red ivory" on the black market, for several times the price of elephant ivory. The huge birds have been caught for centuries for their tail feathers, prized by local communities, but since 2011 poaching has soared to feed Chinese demand for carving ivory, even though the trade is illegal, sending the hornbill into a death spiral. Continue reading...
Rare bird being driven to extinction by poaching for its 'red ivory' bill
28. září 2016 7:00
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Zdroj: The Guardian