{"id":14504,"date":"2026-07-16T14:49:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/?p=14504"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:53:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:23:35","slug":"grey-hornbill-gir-forest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/grey-hornbill-gir-forest\/","title":{"rendered":"Grey Hornbill Returns to Gujarat\u2019s Gir Forest After Six Decades"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The resurgence of the Grey Hornbill in the Gir Forest, Gujarat, after almost 6 decades is a major achievement in Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity restoration work. The presence of this significant forest bird suggests that the habitat condition and balance are improving in the Gir landscape. The Grey Hornbill is well known to play a role as a seed disperser, adding to forest regeneration and a healthy ecosystem. The reintroduction has made conservation efforts in Gujarat successful and has brought attention to the significance of conserving natural habitats to preserve the diversity of flora and fauna that India has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why in News?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Grey Hornbill has been spotted in Gujarat&#8217;s Gir Forest for the first time in almost 60 years. The reappearance of this bird species is seen as good news by wildlife experts, indicating better forest ecology and habitat conservation in the Gir region.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What is the Grey Hornbill?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also called the Indian Grey Hornbill&#8211;Ocyceros birostrum is a medium-sized frugivorous bird of the Indian Subcontinent region. It is a member of the Hornbill family Bucerotidae and can be easily identified by its long, curved bill, grey colour, and loud calls. It is a common species in forests, woodlands, agricultural land and urban green spaces throughout India.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Grey Hornbill is a significant seed disperser and, through this, acts as an asset to forest biodiversity by assisting in the regeneration of native tree species.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Highlights of Grey Hornbill<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After almost 6 decades, the Grey Hornbill has been seen making a return to Gir Forest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The sighting is indicative of better habitat quality and conservation efforts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The bird plays an important role in seed dispersal and in forest regeneration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gir Forest is increasingly becoming the habitat of not only the Asiatic Lion but also an entire range of species.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The figure of return means that wildlife and habitat protection is a successful undertaking in the state of Gujarat.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">About Gir Forest<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located in Gujarat.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The only natural habitat of the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1965.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Includes Gir National Park and its adjacent protected forests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lush and fertile, with dry deciduous forests, grasslands, rivers and a wide variety of animals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Under the management of the Gujarat Forest Department.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Essential biological value of Grey Hornbill<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Efficient seed disperser which supports forest regeneration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ensures ecological equilibrium &#8211; promotes a variety of plant species.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Promotes rehabilitation of degraded forests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provides a measure of healthy forest habitats.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contributes to longterm biodiversity conservation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Significance of the Return<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The presence of the Grey Hornbill at Gir Forest is said to be a good conservation biology sign. It highlights the benefits of habitat restoration, better forestry practices and protection of wildlife occurring throughout the region. The presence of the species may enhance ecosystem resilience by facilitating the natural regeneration of native vegetation. It also underscores Gir&#8217;s emerging status as a rich biodiversity hotspot, in addition to hosting the renowned Asiatic lions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Previous Year Questions (PYQs)<\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Exam<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Question<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Answer<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>2016<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>In which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the Great Indian Hornbill in its natural habitat?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sand deserts of northwest India<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>B.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Higher Himalayas of Jammu &amp; Kashmir<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>C.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Salt marshes of western Gujarat<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>D.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Western Ghats<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>D. Western Ghats<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>2017<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Recently, there was a proposal to translocate some of the lions from their natural habitat in Gujarat to which one of the following sites?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Corbett National Park<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>B.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>C.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>D.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Sariska National Park<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>B. Kuno Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>2019<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Consider the following statements:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">1. Asiatic Lion is naturally found in India only.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Which of the statements given above is\/are correct?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 1 only<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>B.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 2 only<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>C.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 1 and 3 only<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>D.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> 1, 2 and 3<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>A. 1 only<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/anil-menon-nasa-astronaut\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Who is Anil Menon<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conclusion on Grey Hornbill Sighted Again in Gir Forest<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grey Hornbill&#8217;s return to Gir Forest after 60 years is a positive achievement of the conservation and management efforts undertaken in Gujarat for its survival. The species is an important seed disperser, especially for forests, and as such plays a significant role in forest regeneration and stability. The return of the big cat supports not just the conservation efforts of the Asiatic Lion, but also the importance of protecting the geographic range of this animal, as well as the need to continue with conservation measures and scientific monitoring and community involvement in protecting India&#8217;s diverse wildlife heritage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rare Grey Hornbill Returns to Gujarat\u2019s Gir Forest FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"cfaq-wrapper\" data-multiple=\"0\"><div class=\"cfaq-item cfaq-open\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"true\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">1. Why is the return of the Grey Hornbill to Gir Forest significant?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\"><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">It indicates improved habitat quality, successful conservation efforts, and enhanced biodiversity in the Gir ecosystem after nearly six decades.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">2. What is the scientific name of the Grey Hornbill?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The scientific name of the Grey Hornbill is Ocyceros birostris.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">3. Why is the Grey Hornbill called an important seed disperser?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">The bird feeds mainly on fruits and disperses seeds across forests, promoting natural regeneration and maintaining plant diversity.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">4. Which protected area is famous as the only natural habitat of the Asiatic Lion?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat is the only natural habitat of the Asiatic Lion.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The resurgence of the Grey Hornbill in the Gir Forest, Gujarat, after almost 6 decades is a major achievement in Wildlife Conservation and Biodiversity restoration work. The presence of this significant forest bird suggests that the habitat condition and balance are improving in the Gir landscape. The Grey Hornbill is well known to play a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14504","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14504"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14504\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14508,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14504\/revisions\/14508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}