Tasked with the challenge of saving a spectacular species from extinction, the three conservationists have gone beyond the call of duty to preserve the southern ground-hornbill.

The southern ground-hornbill is known for being the largest bird worldwide, that lives in cooperative groups consisting of 3 – 12 individuals. They are recognized by the distinct red throat-pouch and their long lashes and have been placed on the list of endangered species.

During the last few decades, their numbers have dwindled so drastically, that they are considered to be more endangered than the rhinoceros.

The leading cause of their endangerment, is the destruction of habitat by the human population. Following in second place, secondary poisoning from farms in the surrounding areas has also killed off the population.

The southern ground-hornbill is a faunivourous bird, which diets on snakes, lizards and insects and will even feed off of the carcasses of animals, which is why they are so easily poisoned.

The crew at the Baobab Breeding and Conservation Centre, consists of wildlife conservationist, Delecia Gunn, as well as Hein and Natasha Nel, who operate from the Loskop Nature Reserve.

Delecia, who has made a study of the ground-hornbills, has been handling them since 1996. The Baobab Breeding and Conservation Centre, is one of three programs with a successful release site, throughout the whole of South Africa.

Over the years, they are one of few programs, which has succeeded in raising ground-hornbill chicks without any human contact, by saving abandoned chicks and pairing them up with a foster breeding couple. This method has resulted in chicks growing up with a healthy fear of humans, and allows them to be released back into the wild, where they form groups of their own.

The Limpopo area which once was a world without ground-hornbills, is now a home to several groups and all because of our local heroes!