Biologists are concerned that increasing temperatures may be affecting the breeding cycles of Khao Yai’s Great Hornbills.

A research team led by Dr. Pilai Poonswad of Mahidol University, noted that the Hornbill incubation and rearing cycle has increased from 120 to 140 days.

Dr. Pilai says she cannot definitively tie the change to Khao Yai’s rising average temperatures and drier conditions. Increased tourism or some other unknown impact could be disturbing the Great Hornbills’ normal cycles. However, it’s quite possible that the changing climate is affecting the plants that the birds feed on, which is, in turn, affecting breeding.

More research is required to understand how changes to the delicate balances in Khao Yai’s natural ecosystems are affecting the park’s plant and animal wildlife, including the majestic Great Hornbill.