Question: Was that one ground hornbill escapee ever recovered?
Answer: No. “The Honolulu Zoo has been receiving sightings from community members, but zoo staff have not been able to visually locate Najuma,” said Linda Santos, the zoo’s director, referring to the Southern ground hornbill that flew away Feb. 10, after high winds toppled a tree that broke through its enclosure.
Like other adults of his species, Najuma, a 13-year-old male, is a large bird with vivid red patches of bare skin on his face and throat. His feathers are mainly dark, with characteristic white wingtips most visible in flight.
Anyone who sees the bird should call the zoo at 971-7171 right away, rather than calling 911 as advised in the incident’s immediate aftermath. Zoo staff will follow up.
“We ask that they provide an address or detailed description of the area where the sighting happened, and a picture of the bird, if possible, so the zoo can eliminate any non-hornbill leads,” Santos said in an email Wednesday. “Photos and/or short videos should be sent to the zoo’s email address at info@honzoosoc.org.”
The most recent reported sightings were in the Waikiki, Diamond Head and Kahala areas, she said.
Najuma was one of two hornbills that left the damaged enclosure, but zoo staff were successful in luring back the other one, a 17-year-old female named Martha, whose 57-year-old mate, Abby, had remained on zoo premises. Staff initially hoped that Najuma’s homing instinct, coupled with hunger, would bring him back, too, and they did get close to catching him early on. But that opportunity evaporated as Najuma took flight in Kapiolani Park, out of range of the zoo staffers who had been chasing him with large nets.
The zoo tried various methods over the intervening period to attract Najuma, including playing Martha’s and Abby’s bird calls over the Waikiki Shell’s loudspeakers, according to news reports. There were several reported Najuma sightings near the tennis courts at Kapiolani Park, but never directly by zoo staff.
Najuma was hatched at the zoo, a success story of its captive breeding program, and “part of a tight family unit,” as Santos told Hawaii Public Radio in February.
Southern ground hornbills, endangered in the wild, can live up to 70 years in captivity. If Najuma is still alive, he is likely surviving on a diet of insects, geckoes and rodents.
Auwe
To the driver of the white van driving mauka on South Street, turning left onto Queen Street at about 11 a.m. April 12: I was riding a Biki going makai on South Street in the bike lane and had just passed Queen Street when you honked your horn at me and gesticulated wildly as if I had done something wrong. You thought I should not have proceeded because of the “don’t walk” signal in the pedestrian crosswalk. But I was not in the crosswalk. I was in the bike lane with a “go” sign that you could not see. I guess you didn’t notice the two signs at the intersection that say “turning vehicles yield to bicycles.” — Cyclist with right of way
Mahalo
At this time of renewal (spiritual, not driver’s license!), I would like to express gratitude for the people who help me with small, daily tasks that have grown more difficult with age. Some of the people I know, some of them I don’t. They all make life easier. Happy Easter! — Grateful senior
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
