PAKKE PAGA HORNBILL FESTIVAL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The 9th edition of the Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) will take place at Seijosa in the Pakke Kessang district from January 18-20, 2024.

Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF)

• About: It is a state festival of Arunachal Pradesh.
• First PPHF: It was held on January 16-18, 2015
• Aim: Recognising the efforts of the Nyishi hunters-turned-conservationists of hornbills.
• Focus: Four species of the birds — Wreathed, Great Indian, Oriental Pied and the endangered Rufous-necked — are found in the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR) of Arunachal Pradesh.

oThe area is also home to the Nyishi, the largest tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Other Activities: Bird-watching, butterfly walks, bear walks, hornbill roost site visits, literary competitions, MTB cycling, short film screenings, panel discussions, cultural programs, food stalls, plays, sightseeing tours, river and village walks, as well as displays of local tribal sports and dances.

Great Hornbill:

• Hornbills are large, fruit-eating birds found along certain fleshy fruit trees.

oEcological role: They are responsible for dispersing undamaged seeds in large patches away from mother plant, thereby creating fruit orchards.

• Great Indian Hornbill is the state bird of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Distribution: The hornbills are found in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia.
• Conservation Status of Great Indian Hornbill: IUCN: Vulnerable; Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972: Schedule I; Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): Appendix I.