Species Use Database

Yellow-casqued Hornbill
Ceratogymna elata

Used for Food and feed in Cameroon

A. Species

Scientific name: Ceratogymna elata

Common name(s): Yellow-casqued Hornbill

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Vulnerable


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • Cameroon

Country/Region:


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: National Level

Name/Details of location: Cameroon


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 2023

End Year: 2023


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Hunting and/or Trapping of live terrestrial and aerial animals

Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Food and feed

Motivation of use: Basic subsistence, Income generation from trade (individual/household/community) and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual

Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law and Some use is legal and some is illegal


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people and Non-local External


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Details of assessment carried out: CITES

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The document highlights the economic benefit for hunters supplying foreign markets.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The role of local communities and potential cultural significance of hornbill use aren't explored in detail.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

"Strengthen enforcement of existing hunting regulations: The study suggests weak enforcement might be contributing to unsustainable hunting pressure. Investigate and address the economic drivers of hornbill hunting: Understanding the economic incentives for hunters could inform strategies to promote alternative livelihoods. Promote alternative income sources for local communities: Providing alternative income opportunities could reduce reliance on hornbill hunting for economic gain. Increase public awareness about the conservation status of hornbills: Educating local communities about the threats hornbills face could encourage support for conservation efforts. Support research on hornbill populations and hunting practices: Better data on population trends and hunting offtake levels is crucial for developing sustainable management plans. Explore possibilities for sustainable hornbill product use: If hornbill use holds cultural significance, investigating possibilities for sustainable harvesting or captive breeding programs could be explored (although this requires careful consideration and wouldn't be appropriate for all situations)."


Record source

Information about the record source: scientific_pub

Date of publication/issue/production: 2024-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):

Su, S., Guetse, F., & Arcilla, N. (2024). A price on their heads? assessing foreign demand as a driver of hornbill hunting in Cameroon. Global Ecology and Conservation, 51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e02905

Date of record entry: 2024-07-02