CR

Sulu Hornbill

Anthracoceros montani

Declining

Overview

The Sulu hornbill, or Montano's hornbill, is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to the Sulu archipelago in the Philippines, with the remaining populations in Tawi-Tawi with it believed to be hunted to extinction on Jolo. Its natural habitat is tropical moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss as well as potential harvesting for food. Its diet includes fruit, insects, and small lizards.

The Sulu Hornbill faces imminent extinction due to catastrophic deforestation across its restricted range in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines. Illegal logging and agricultural conversion have eliminated over 95% of primary forest habitat, while hunting pressure for food and the pet trade has decimated the remaining population. With fewer than 800 individuals estimated to survive across just a few islands, the species lacks sufficient habitat connectivity for long-term viability.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Sulu Hornbill inhabits primary and secondary lowland tropical rainforests in the Sulu Archipelago, particularly favoring tall dipterocarp forests with large fruiting trees. It requires mature forest canopy for nesting in natural tree cavities and depends on diverse fruit resources found in intact forest ecosystems.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Habitat & natural process restorationSpecies managementSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsLegislation

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EN

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EN

Montipora calcarea

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Sulu Hornbill classified as Critically Endangered?
Sulu Hornbill is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Sulu Hornbill faces imminent extinction due to catastrophic deforestation across its restricted range in the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines. Illegal logging and agricultural conversion have eliminated over 95% of primary forest habitat, while hunting pressure for food and the pet trade has decimated the remaining population. With fewer than 800 individuals estimated to survive across just a few islands, the species lacks sufficient habitat connectivity for long-term viability.
Where does Sulu Hornbill live?
Sulu Hornbill occurs in Philippines. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sulu Hornbill?
The main threats to Sulu Hornbill are 2.1, 3.2, 5.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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