Carved helmeted hornbill casque

Casque of a helmeted hornbill, carved in the 1800s.

Scientific name: Rhinoplax vigil

Once widespread in the forests of Southeast Asia, the helmeted hornbill is being hunted to extinction for the hard, bony casque above its beak. Like the Occamy’s silver eggs, carved hornbill casques like this are highly valued in some countries. In recent years, this has led to a surge in hunting. Almost 3,000 casques have been seized in the last decade, but that is only a tiny part of the global illegal trade.Conservationists are now working to enforce bans on hunting and trading, and to reduce demand for hornbill products.