In a landmark step towards biodiversity protection, the Tamil Nadu government has announced the establishment of the country's first-ever Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at the Aanamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district. 

Hornbills, often dubbed the "farmers of the forest" for their critical role in seed dispersal and forest regeneration, are increasingly under threat due to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and climate change.

To address this, the state's Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests has allocated Rs 1 crore under the Endangered Species Conservation Corpus Fund to set up the centre. The facility will focus on four hornbill species native to the Western Ghats - the Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, and Indian Grey Hornbill.