Home Pix of the Trade Busch Gardens welcomes hornbill babies

Busch Gardens welcomes hornbill babiesBusch Gardens Tampa has two new residents — baby Southern Ground Hornbills, which were hatched on Feb. 15 and Feb. 19. Southern Ground Hornbills are the largest of all hornbills, and the two new males are growing rapidly. Guests can see the babies at Jambo Junction, located in the Nairobi area of the park. Guests can also visit their older brother Tufts and Uncle Baraka, both of which are Busch Gardens animal ambassadors and located at Jambo Junction. The Southern ground hornbill is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because the entire population is mainly confined to national parks and reserves. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has helped support the Mabula Ground Hornbill Conservation & Research Project, which replenishes the declining ground hornbill population through a successful captive breeding, rearing and release program.