The Ground Hornbill Project is sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank.

The focus of the EWT’s Ground Hornbill work is in the Kruger National Park and coordinated by Scott Ronaldson. The Ground Hornbill populations are carefully monitored and threats specific to each area addressed. In the Lowveld/KNP, where the bulk of the country’s wild populations of Ground Hornbills are found, the main threat is not habitat loss as such, but more likely the loss of suitable breeding sites through the loss of large trees. To address this hypothesis, the Lowveld/KNP Large Bird Project was initiated in the beginning of 2008. The aim is to ensure the survival of Ground Hornbills, their natural habitats and associated biodiversity, by:

• Furthering an improved understanding of Ground Hornbill biology to secure viable populations of Ground Hornbills;

• Ensuring that there is effective and efficient coordination of Ground Hornbill conservation activities outlined in the Action Plan from the Population and Habitat Viability Analysis (PHVA) report.

• Securing viable habitat and promoting the sustainable utilisation and conservation of the savannas,

• Ensuring adequate legislation and enforcement for the species and its habitat;

• Identifying and mitigating human-induced threats; and

• Encouraging participation and cooperation of communities and institutions.