The illegal exploitation of hornbills in Indonesia with international trafficking links to Africa and Asia

Indonesia’s bird trade research has largely focused on songbirds, leaving other exploited taxa, such as hornbills, understudied. We address this gap by analyzing hornbill seizures in Indonesia (January 2015–December 2024) and online hornbill advertisements (January 2015–February 2025). We recorded 126 seizures and 231 advertisements revealing widespread illegal exploitation of all thirteen native Indonesian hornbill species, and endemic species from the Philippines and Africa. Trade involved live hornbills and hornbill beaks and casques. The prevalence of live trade suggests targeted poaching for the pet market is more extensive than previously documented, underscoring the need for further research and heightened enforcement. At least four endemic Philippines hornbill species were found in trade. The absence of CITES import records for these species indicates illegal international trafficking. At least two African endemic species were also observed for sale online in Indonesia underscoring the need for international monitoring and regulatory oversight to prevent over-exploitation. East Java and Jakarta emerged as principal trade hubs and Riau as a key transit point for hornbill parts entering international trafficking routes. Hornbills are particularly vulnerable to over exploitation because of their slow maturation, low re-productive rates, and complex ecological requirements. As such, Indonesia’s illegal hornbill trade demands targeted actions, including legal reform, strengthened enforcement capacity, and enhanced accountability of online platforms to curb these pressures and protect remaining populations.