Environment+ Island Preservation

Visayan bleeding- heart pigeon [Gallicolumba keayi]

How to save a bleeding

Story by John Oates Photography by heart John Oates and Godfrey Jakosalem A foundation in Negros hopes to preserve the island’s indigenous through reforestation, breeding, research and education Environment+ Island Preservation

t isn’t hard to recognize a Visayan bleeding-heart pigeon: as the name Isuggests, the ground-dwelling birds have bright red patches on their breasts and they really do look like they have been horribly injured. It is popularly claimed that this helps them to convince predators that they are already dead and therefore no good to eat. Unfortunately there’s no evidence that this is actually true. Much more unfortunately, little has protected them from human activity and finding one of these birds living in the wild is no easy task. The Visayan pigeons are – unlike their close relatives in Luzon – critically endangered due largely to a combination of and a loss of habitat. The forest cover in Negros, one of only two islands on which the bird is found, deteriorated from 91% at the start of the 20th century to just 4% in 1992.

Conserving The efforts of the government and other agencies over the past couple of decades mean that forest cover on Negros is now Visayan tarictic estimated at between six and 10%, but that hornbill, male [Penelopides is not enough of an improvement to ensure p. panini] the survival of the pigeons or many other indigenous animals. According to Nigel Simpson, Curator of Birds at the UK’s Bristol Zoo and a recent visitor to Negros, “BirdLife International estimates there are only 300 bleeding-heart pigeons left in Negros, so their future here is uncertain.” The work being done by the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation (NFEFI) is, therefore, absolutely essential. Started in

ates ates 1986, the Foundation combines reforestation high, including long prison sentences and O work with breeding, research and education harsh fines, but conservationists still face an projects. As part of this they opened a uphill struggle. Biodiversity Conservation Center to the public The center is the first in the world to

Photo by John in city in 1997. have bred the Tularik, a difficult task as When I visited the center, located close the birds are monogamous and require a to the city’s lagoon, I was lucky enough to be period of courtship in a separate cage. Other shown around by volunteer Tam Sarad. He successes from the breeding program include talked to me about the Foundation’s work the Philippine Eagle-Owl and Negros sailfin and showed me animals such as a Visayan lizard. Tarictic Hornbill – known locally as the Tularik – which had been confiscated from hunters. Protecting the future Sadly these magnificent birds are often One of the aims of the NFEFI is to encourage Philippine serpent eagle hunted for food or even taken as pets. The the development of more protected areas in penalties for hunting endangered are Negros. There are currently three such areas

36 7107 MAGAZINE ISSUE 02 l VOLUME 04 on the island: the North Negros Natural Park, the Mt. working with international partners. A group from the UK National Park and the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural arrived in March of this year, for example, to help monitor Park. Unfortunately they are not ideal for reintroducing the wild populations in the North Negros Natural Park of two the species, which the NFEFI is important indigenous species – the breeding. Visayan warty and the Visayan ates ates “We are looking for vacant O spotted . habitats to reintroduce the Despite its rather unappealing species,” says Joanne Justo, name, the – Curator at the Biodiversity which can be seen in the center in Photo by John Conservation Center. “With Bacolod – is of particular interest our partner organization, to conservationists as it is the most the Biodiversity threatened wild pig species in the Conservation Foundation Inc., world. It gets its name from three we are still doing field surveys. bumps on its head, which are used for These will then be presented to Visayan warty pig defense when fighting. the local government officials for declaration as protected areas or conservation areas. Getting involved There is still a long way to go.” It’s important to make sure that people know how fragile In the meantime, the Foundation works to monitor the populations of creatures such as the Visayan warty pig populations in existing protected areas. This often means really are, and much of the work done by the Conservation Photo by Godfrey Jakosalem

Visayan warty pig [Sus cebifrons] Photo by Godfrey Jakosalem

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Visayan spotted deer [ alfredi]

Bacolod Photo by Godfrey Jakosalem

Center is educational. This includes, for or for the Visayan leopard cats. These example, running a Junior Zookeepers felines are nocturnal so they hide and workshop for children aged seven to sleep for most of the day, coming out twelve. Participants get a chance to be for feeding time. zookeepers at the center and act as tour If you want to help their work guides to their family and friends. Other then you can contact the NFEFI groups can arrange their own tours of (034 433 9234, negrosforests.org), the center. as they have a number of programs If you’re interested in visiting as an that concerned citizens, schools, The Bacolod individual, then you – like me - may be companies and civic groups can join. Biodiversity lucky and find a volunteer able to These include adopting an , Conservation Center is located show you around. Otherwise, there adopting a tree or becoming an close to the Provincial Capitol and are signboards to tell you a little about NFEFI volunteer. With this kind of Negros Museum. It is open Mon– what you are seeing. One good idea is help, it’s hoped that animals such as Sat 9am–noon & 1–4pm; payment is by donation. The city has plenty to arrive at feeding time: the best times the Visayan bleeding-heart pigeon of accommodation and eating are 2–3pm for the deer, and most will still have a habitat in the wild for options, and is also a good base birds, 4pm for raptors (birds of prey) decades to come. for visiting the heritage homes in Silay 20km to the north. The airport is located 15km CONTRIBUTOR’S PROFILE northeast of Bacolod, and is JOHN OATES – A former literary agent, John took up travel writing to legitimize served by flights from Manila and his wanderlust. He has been lucky enough to spend plenty of time exploring the City. There are frequent Philippines – although he’s always keen to go back for more – and these days ferries from Iloilo, as well as makes a pretty decent chicken adobo. services from Manila and a number of ports on Mindanao.

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