China has made a breakthrough in breeding two endangered Malabar Pied Hornbills at Nanning Zoo in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China.

Zhi Bingsheng, assistant engineer in charge of the breeding project in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, said the five-week-old birds, each weighing over 200 grams and about 50 cm long, were able to fly to and from their nests. It was the first time the zoo had used man-made nests.

The birds, called lovebirds in China due to their loyalty to their mates, are found only in Guangxi, Yunnan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region in China.

The male birds were very choosy about their mating partners and breeding conditions, which meant there must be a group of females for them to choose from, said the assistant engineer.

The zoo has 40 birds, 34 of which are females. They are the only group in captivity in China.

In captivity, the proper height and sites for nests as well as temperature and sunshine are essential for successful breeding.

"To create a good environment for breeding, we put the birds in a garden for hornbills, which is 9,000 square meters big and 25 meters high with different subtropical and tropical plants, artificial hills, ponds and streams, fresh air and sufficient sunshine."

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2002)