ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A rare Philippine hornbill found nowhere else on Earth is facing a new wave of pressure as roads, renewable-energy proposals, forest loss and other development activities increasingly overlap with its remaining habitat in the Central Panay Mountain Range.
The latest coordinated count offers a small measure of hope — but conservationists say it is far too early to declare a recovery.
Community volunteers and conservation groups recorded 68 Dulungan, or Rufous-headed Hornbills (Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni), on Aug. 21, 2026, in the Central Panay Mountain Range.
That was higher than the 59 birds recorded in 2025 and 62 in 2024. But conservation researchers caution that the increase in a single annual count does not necessarily mean the overall population is growing.
“Numbers are stable but not yet showing a certain upward trend,” Haribon Foundation conservation research manager David Quimpo said.
The warning is significant because the Dulungan has already disappeared from parts of its former range.
PANAY HAS BECOME THE BIRD’S LAST STRONGHOLD
The Central Panay Mountain Range is now considered the species’ last major refuge. More than 95% of the world’s remaining Dulungan population is concentrated in Central Panay, according to conservation groups.
Estimates put the worldwide number of mature Dulungan at only about 1,000 to 3,000 individuals.
The bird is already considered extinct in Guimaras and functionally extinct in Negros, leaving Panay as the critical stronghold for the species.
The mountain range stretches across Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo, forming one of Panay’s most important forest and watershed systems.
A scientific study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa found that Rufous-headed Hornbills were strongly associated with primary forest and large trees, reinforcing the importance of preserving mature forest habitat.
WHY LOSING THE DULUNGAN COULD HURT THE FOREST TOO
The Dulungan is more than a rare bird.
Conservationists call it a “Farmer of the Forest” because it plays an important role in seed dispersal.
The hornbills consume fruits and later disperse the seeds elsewhere, helping forests regenerate naturally.
Their dependence on mature trees is especially important during breeding. Female Dulungan nest inside natural tree cavities and can remain sealed inside while the male delivers food through a small opening.
That makes the loss of large, mature trees particularly dangerous for the species.
In other words, protecting the Dulungan also means protecting the forests that support water, biodiversity and other ecosystem services across Panay.
Recent reporting by Inquirer likewise highlighted the bird’s role in forest regeneration and the continuing threats posed by habitat loss, hunting and development.
ROADS, WIND PROJECTS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS RAISE CONCERNS
Conservationists are not arguing that Panay should stop developing.
The concern is where and how development takes place.
Haribon has identified road construction, dam projects, renewable-energy development, forest loss and illegal wildlife trade among the threats facing the remaining Dulungan population.
Proposed wind-energy projects cover portions of Ibajay in Aklan and Pandan in Antique, areas that fall within the Central Panay Mountain Range and Dulungan habitat.
Several road networks also cross the mountain range, including the Pandan-Ibajay, Laua-an-Capiz and Valderrama-Lambunao routes.
Conservationists acknowledge that roads can improve access to schools, markets and essential services, while renewable energy can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
But they warn that infrastructure built through intact forests can fragment habitat, disrupt wildlife movement and place additional pressure on watersheds.
Haribon has argued that renewable-energy projects should prioritize already degraded areas or locations where biodiversity impacts can be minimized rather than sacrificing intact forest.
THE IUCN DOWNGRADED ITS STATUS — BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE DULUNGAN IS SAFE
There is another important detail behind the current conservation debate.
In October 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reassessed the Rufous-headed Hornbill from Critically Endangered to Endangered, citing a slower rate of decline over a 25-year period.
The IUCN’s 2025 Red List data confirms the change from CR to EN.
But conservationists warn that the improved global classification should not be misunderstood as proof that the species has recovered.
The Dulungan remains classified as Critically Endangered under the Philippine Red List, according to conservation groups citing DENR Administrative Order 2019-09.
The distinction matters.
A species can experience a slower decline while still remaining at extremely high risk because its population is small, geographically restricted and vulnerable to sudden habitat loss.
That is precisely the concern in Central Panay.
CONSERVATIONISTS WANT CENTRAL PANAY DECLARED A PROTECTED AREA
With virtually the entire remaining global population dependent on Panay, conservation groups are pushing for the formal declaration of the Central Panay Mountain Range as a Protected Area.
The proposed protection would not only benefit the Dulungan.
It would also help safeguard forests and watersheds serving communities across the four Panay provinces.
Haribon said coordination among the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), local governments and Indigenous Peoples communities is necessary before the proposed protected-area legislation can move forward.
Parts of the proposed protected area overlap with Indigenous Peoples’ ancestral domains, making consultation and coordination an essential part of the process.
68 BIRDS — AND A MUCH BIGGER WARNING
The latest count of 68 Dulungan may look encouraging compared with previous years.
But conservationists say the number should be viewed as a warning rather than a victory.
The 2026 count is only one snapshot of a species whose survival depends on maintaining enough connected, mature forest to provide food, nesting cavities and breeding habitat.
And with more than 95% of the remaining population concentrated in Central Panay, what happens to this mountain range could determine what happens to the species itself.
The Dulungan is not found anywhere else on Earth.
That makes Central Panay more than just another forest.
It may be the last place where the future of the species can still be secured.
The question now is no longer simply how many Dulungan can be counted each year — but whether enough of their forest will remain for those birds to survive.
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