They have been striking appearances in Ouwehands Zoo for years: two red hornbills, which originally live in the Philippines. Visitors to the park in Rhenen can admire the bird species – brown, large red-colored beak and also called ‘the bell of the mountains’ due to the loud sounds it makes – there since 2009. But that will probably end soon. The zoo may have obtained the hornbills illegally, and does not seem to be able to prove the opposite.
Outgoing Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Christianne van der Wal (VVD) can therefore confiscate them judged the Central Netherlands court on Tuesday, unless Ouwehands Zoo can demonstrate within six weeks that the birds are legally fluttering around in their cage. If the park does not succeed, Van der Wal will probably transfer them to another location – possibly in the Netherlands.
The red hornbill is on the Red List of the international nature organization IUCN classified as ‘vulnerable’, due to logging in the Philippines and bird hunting. There are therefore strict rules for the trade in the bird species, which are laid down in the CITES treaty. This was drawn up to prevent the extinction of endangered animal and plant species. Part of this: trade in the red hornbills is only allowed if they were born and bred in captivity.
Gift from Boekhoorn
Ouwehands Zoo reportedly took over the two birds in 2009 from a person from the Czech Republic. They were a gift from park owner and entrepreneur Marcel Boekhoorn. According to the zoo, the fact that the birds come from the Central European country makes it sufficiently plausible that they have a legal origin. The birds also had closed leg rings, proof for the park that they were bred. An administration obligation is then not necessary.
However, based on an investigation by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) at the zoo in 2021, the court ruled that the closed leg rings insufficiently prove that the birds were legally bred. Evidence from the breeder that the birds were bred in captivity is also necessary, but Ouwehands does not have that. The zoo cannot therefore say with certainty where the birds actually come from.
Appeal
Yet Ouwehands does not want to say goodbye to the brown-feathered birds. The park points out that the animals, because they have been in Rhenen for fifteen years, have become accustomed to their caretakers and would not settle well in another enclosure. José Kok, zoology manager at the zoo, said in January The Gelderlander al: “I don’t want to think about them being taken away from us.” According to her, the male and female have a spicy character. Ouwehands director Robin de Lange informed the ANP news agency on Tuesday that he will appeal “to protect the animal welfare of the hornbills”.
The court says it is not convinced by the relocation argument and assumes that the minister will be able to find a new, pleasant place for the Philippine birds. The minister must also simply adhere to the international rules for trade in endangered plant and animal species. More than 180 countries have made agreements about this, which also apply in the European Union. If a person or organization has acquired an animal illegally, that animal must be removed and not returned. The birds would be given legal status with the new owner.