Another bird from my hornbill set... The Writhe-billed Hornbill is endemic to the central Philippines; Panay and the Negros Islands (almost extinct in latter). It is now extinct on the Guimaras. It is a critically endangered species with 1,000-2,499 birds left. The remaining population of this species is extremely small and severely fragmented. A combination of extensive loss of low to mid-altitude forest and hunting have resulted in an extremely rapid population decline. Some effective conservation measures on Panay offer hope that declines can be stopped. There is a conservation effort to save this species. Mt Talinis, designated for protection, is being managed as a geothermal reserve, and The Twin Lakes Balinsasayao Natural Park benefits from conservation funding. Other sites with recent records include Mt Kanla-on Natural Park (Negros) and Northern Negros Natural Park, which receives nominal protection. A nest-guarding scheme by PhilinCon (formerly PhilConserve) led to a reduction of nest poaching by 95% on Panay, and that population can be stabilized at its current size if inroads into the forest by small-scale logging can be stopped. The fledging of nearly 500 broods of one to three young each in the Central Panay Mountain Range was the consequence of this nest-protection scheme and the aim is to expand nest protection into more southerly parts of the CPMR. Confiscated hornbills have been rehabilitated and released by PESCP/PhilinCon. PhilinCon, in collaboration with CAPE, continues to monitor these crucial nest-sites at CPMR through a community-based nest warden scheme, where nest-poaching has been halted. On Negros, surveys have identified remaining populations of the species and management plans will be developed for these areas. A five-year UNDP-GEF Biodiversity Partnership Project for the North Negros Natural Park was established in 2012. The project supported the development of conservation activities within the national park. As of December 2010, a total of 15 hornbills had been successfully bred at Mari-it Wildlife Conservation Park. Five of these captive-bred hornbills were transferred to two facilities on Negros Island. This brought a total of eight hornbills forming the captive population in Negros Island, representing the founder populations for eventual re-introduction. Massive awareness campaigns have been developed by various conservation NGOs, highlighting the plight of hornbills in the Negros-Panay faunal region. Livelihood incentives such as carabao (work animals) were given to hunters to establish permanent agricultural plots instead of shifting cultivation. Seedlings of fruit trees, basic farm tools, rice seeds and informal training are given to hunters by the Mari-it Wildlife Conservation Park to encourage them to take up alternative livelihoods. The Philippine Hornbill Conservation Programme was formally inaugurated in 2002. Its role is to assess the species's distribution, conservation status, threats faced and conservation actions needed as well as potentially establishing several Local Conservation Areas (LCAs) for the species.