Delilah, our Great Indian Hornbill passed away April 1st of natural causes. After more than 35 years as owner/founder Peter Lang’s best bird, our unofficial greeter was missing from her usual perch near the Savannah Cafe.
Delilah was truly loved and adored by the entire Safari West staff, as well as every visitor who had the good fortune to meet her. Delilah was the one animal at Safari West that nearly every visitor had the opportunity to meet up close.
Many will remember Delilah’s special delight in warming her wing feathers by the outdoor fire pit. Certainly, tens of thousands of school children exclaimed over the bird which reminded many students of the toucan that touts breakfast cereal.
To honor Delilah’s memory and her immeasurable contribution to the spirit of Safari West, we have established an Education Fund through our Safari West Wildlife Foundation to provide Discover Africa field trips for underserved children in our community. If you would like to donate to
Delilah's Education Fund, please
download this PDF form and mail it to address indicated.
We would love to hear from you. If you would like to share one of your favorite photos or stories of Delilah, please email
Remembering Delilah.
You may also visit our
Safari West Critters blog and post your own fond memories of meeting Delilah.
Needless to say, we are all just devastated. We’re going to miss Delilah. While she was always discreet about her true age, we believe everyone’s favorite Hornbill may have been well over 50 years old! No one knew exactly how old she was, but she could possibly have been one of the oldest Great Indian Hornbill ever in captivity.
The species, which is native to India, Southwest China and other Asian regions, usually lives in tall forest canopies. At Safari West, Delilah preferred to hang our wherever people congregated.
While we mourn Delilah’s passing, we are thankful for the time she graced us with her presence, and we rejoice in her long life and the fond memories she leaves with each of us. We take comfort knowing that Delilah is now home in the great savannah in the sky.
