Comic Summary
The main goal of these English and Portuguese comic editions is to inform children and learners in communities that share the landscape with ground-hornbills about the challenges the species faces and its vital role in the ecosystem, specifically as a top-order predator of snakes and its connection to good summer rains. It also highlights the harm caused by poaching and poisoning, which affects non-targeted wildlife, such as vultures, and potentially human populations.
Overview of Content
The core themes explored in the comic include:
- The Story of Vusa and Themba: The comic follows Vusa and a Southern Ground-Hornbill named Themba. Themba’s mate, Naledi, and their nest were lost when a Jackalberry tree was cut down for furniture timber. Vusa helps Themba search for Naledi and a new home, encountering various threats and challenges along the way.
- Threats to Ground-Hornbills: The story illustrates several dangers, including:
- Habitat loss (cutting down trees for timber).
- Window reflection confusion, where the bird mistakes its reflection for a rival and attacks the window.
- Electrocution on power lines, as the large birds may try to nest on them.
- Poisoned bait intended for ‘problem animals,’ which can harm hornbills and other wildlife.
- Poaching for traditional medicine, as one man sought the bird for its “powerful medicine” to become a respected village elder.
- Ecological and Cultural Importance: The comic emphasizes the bird’s importance:
-
-
- Themba eats a snake, and Vusa is told that snakes are a big part of the bird’s diet and the snake’s venom has no effect on the bird unless it is bitten.
- The Southern Ground-Hornbill is culturally known as the “Rainbird” or “Great Rainbird”. Their reunion and successful nesting in a sacred forest are immediately followed by the end of a drought and the start of a downpour.
-
- Conservation and Reporting: The end of the comic provides practical steps for conservation and details on reporting sightings.
- How to help: Ways to help conserve the birds include ensuring no poison is available, protecting big trees that could be used for nests, and contacting a conservation group if hornbills are breaking windows.
- Sighting Information Needed: When reporting a sighting to the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project, the following information is requested: Date, number of birds, location (GPS/WhatsApp pin preferred), age and sex of each bird (if possible), and habitat description.
- Contact Information: Readers are encouraged to report sightings to the Ground-Hornbill NPO or via the BirdLasser App.
Testimonials:
“This comic book has given us a cohesive story to tell in rural areas where ground-hornbills do not have the luxury of living within the borders of protected areas and thus rely on their human neighbours for a sustainable future. The story is that of a boy and his dog who meet a lone ground-hornbill. The boy discusses the various threats to the bird, and ways to make his village safe for a culturally valuable species, the bringer of rain, the Thunder Bird.”
“Why Portuguese? We feel strongly that no conservation partnerships should be lost simply because of language. We have had such success with using these comic books to not only raise awareness but to link elders to their youth. This can now be done in the communities that either live in, or adjacent to, Mozambique’s national parks.”
“Vusa the Ground-Hornbill Guardian is a wonderful story which young readers find enjoyable and educational. The story is so relatable to many who live in rural areas alongside ground-hornbills, but who do not know how interesting and special these birds are. If distribution of this comic can continue it will really help to educate the young generation and hopefully in turn will encourage them to protect these wonderful birds.”
