News Monitoring 07 08 2019

08 JUL 2019 DATE DAY ID 1E nil tiNT TN1 EL NAT S Strategic Communication and Initialive Service • STRATEGIC UP? PAGE BANNER EDITORIAL CARTOON COMMUNICATION STORy STORY ega INITIATIVES PAGE LOWER MRIIS SERVICE BusinessMirror elmmir Al A1 enin hi 08 EIL 71119 1111E PAGE 1/ DATE p- Demystifying the vanishing Palawan pangolin STORY BY JONATHAN L. MAYUGA v@jonlmayuga ITH great enthusiasm, Shiela, Elvie and JR, young Wresearch assistants of the Katala Foundation Inc., have been braving the wilderness of Southern Palawan for months in search of the elusive pangolins. NELSON DEVANADERA, executive director of the Palawan Council for Sustainable empirical data that would suggest Development.JoemeeNLMAYeGe the accuracy of their claim, as far Their mission: to know more This is because the Palawan as the upland communities are about the pangolins before they pangolin is one of the least stud- concerned, the Palawan pangolins become extinct. ied species of pangolin and there Carrying nothing but backpack are vanishing. is very little scientific information Commissioned to do research loaded with extra shirts, a tow- available to properly manage its on the Palawan pangolins by the el, water, food, a notebook, pen remaining population. Protect Wildlife Project that is and the all-important global- The study aims to determine funded by United States Agency positioning satellite device and a the mammal's rate of exploita- for International Development satellite phone, plus camera traps, tion and abundance in the wild to (USAID) in Southern Palawan, they trek unfamiliar terrains, come up with policy recommen- conservation efforts are focused climb trees, crawl under thick dation and plan of action that on the Palawan pangolins because shrubs and tall grasses, cross will help protect and conserve of the threat of illegal wildlife rivers and streams, night or day, this vanishing species. trade, with the hope of saving looking for signs—scratch mark, So far, the study is focused on the critically endangered species tracks or footprints, even feces Vic toria-Anepahan Mountain before it becomes extinct. left behind by the little-known Range, which has a total land The Katala Foundation Inc. scaly anteater or pangolin (Mattis area of 510,520.66 hectares. The is expected to complete the re- culionensis de Elera) that can only Vic tor ia-Anepahan Mountain search and come up with policy. be found in Palawan. Range straddles Puerto Princesa The Philippines, an archipelago recommendation to save the van- City, Aborlan, Narra and Quezon comprising of 7,641 islands and ishing Palawan pangolin by the towns. The area has been identi- islets, is one of the megadiverse end of the year. fied as an important habitat for countries in the world. However, biodiversity and endemic Palawan it is also one of the so-called bio- Mysterious mammal diversity hot spots because of the species, such as the pangolin. IN funding the "Study on the The Palawan Council for Sus- rapid rate of biodiversity loss. Indicative Presence and Abun- Experts sfrybecatThe ofbiodiver- tainable Development (PCSD) dance of the Palawan Pangolin in and the Palawan State University sityloss that's aggravated by illegal Southern-Central Palawan," Pro- wildlife trade, highly vulnerable are also embarking on research to tect Wildlife Project Communica- know more about the diet of the endemic species the Philippines tions Manager Lawrence San Diego is known for may have become ex- Palawan pangolin, to aid in man- said the Palawan pangolin is the aging its population and, hope- tinct even before their discovery. only pangolin species endemic to Previously thought to be the fully, come up with ways to boost a single country. its population on the island. Malayan or Sunda pangolin, (M. "The Philippine pangolin is a javanica), the Palawan pangolin priority species for conservation remains a mystery even to the of the Protect Wildlife Project," indigenous people of Palawan, he said. considered the country's last eco- logical frontier. While there is no ra STRATEGIC [1=I LII UPPE P AGFA BANNER EDITORIAL CARTOON e COMMUNICATION A .4 STORY STORY INITIATIVES PAGE SERVICE Bum' esslinir. or - ;Invrefil Ar4,Itrrdil,h1V1‘, PAGE I/ 8Dat ?rug P— enn f ft ni 41^ Q- \A".c6vil PoLt,wre,-, Panaf D pi Nelson Devanadera, PCSD ex- The ground surveys showed management specialist and one ecutive director, said samples of that slash-and-burn farming, of the anti-illegal wildlife trade pangolin's feces will also be sent charcoal making and timber operatives of the Philippine Op- to Australia for laboratory testing. poaching continue in forest erations Group on Ivory and Illegal He said knowing the diet and nu- habitats where the pangolins Wildlife (Task Force Pogi) of the trients of the pangolin's—basi- are recorded. Department of Environment and cally, ants and termites—will help Natural Resources (DENR) said explain why it is now the most 'Most illegally traded animal' the fact that two of the suspects sought-after animalbecause of the ACCORDING to the Environmen- are from Roxas town is proof that belief that its meat and scale have tal Investigation Agency (EIA), locals are in cahoots with the mem- pangolins are the most illegally medicinal value, hence, is now be- bers of the syndicate. ing hunted to extinction. traded animal in the world. More important, he said, know- 'Hunted for their meat and Deeper investigation ing what plant species the ants and scales for use in traditional medi- THE Task Force Pogi said the in- termites eat, must be identified cine, these shy nocturnal mam- vestigation on the illegal pangolin in order to protect and conserve mals may become extinct faster trade is without letup. them from various threats, and if than elephants, tigers, rhinos and "We are still conducting a fol- possible, propagate them in other other iconic animals, whether in low-up investigation. What we areas, to help protect and conserve Africa or Asia. want is to identify the buyers and the pangolin. There are eight known species catch them," Demelletes said. of pangolins, four are found in In the meantime, he said PCSD As for the arrested suspects Africa and four in Asia. from Tagaytay City, Demelletes is working closely with various All pangolin species were listed said authorities have so far initi- law-enforcement agencies to pre- in Convention on Internation- vent illegalwildlife trade, not only ated inquest proceedings but cases al Trade in Endangered Species have yet to be filed. of pangolin but other threatened (Cites) of Wild Fauna and Flora species of Palawan. Askedwhat willbe the next step Appendix! in 2016. The inclusion for the DENA Task Force Pogi and in Appendix I means the pango- its partner-law-enforcement agen- What locals know lins—all eight Species including WHILE very little is known about cies, he said: "We need to cut down the Palawan pangolin—are threat- at least one of the participants in the species, the Palawan State ened with extinction. the trade cycle." University has held interviews Under Cites Appendix I, the Ricardo Calderon, the DENR's and focus group discussions with trade in specimens of these species assistant secretary for Staff Bu- upland communities to gather in- are permitted only in exceptional formation on sightings and pres- reau and concurrent Director of circumstances. the Biodiversity Management Bu- ence of pangolins in their areas, According to MA as many as 1 its traditional uses and hunting reau (BMB), underscored the im- million pangolins have been il- portance of combatting the illegal techniques; and known practices legally traded within Asia in the trade on pangolin in Palawan. on its collection and trade.. past 10 to 15 years. According to local communi- He said the DENR continues ties, poaching and Megal trade of to strengthen the capacity of Organized crime law-enforcement agencies, in- pangolin meat and scales persist. IN the Philippines, the Palawant cluding its own, and is coordi- The meat can fetch for $3 to $5 a pangolin is also the most illegally kilogram, while the scales can be nating with concerned govern- traded animal and the perpetra- ment agencies and institutions sold for $130 to $190 a kilo. tors are well organized. Anti- While communities are aware to stop illegal wildlife trade, illegal wildlife trade operatives with particular focus on the that hunting and trade of pango- believe that organized crime syn- lins are illegal, they continue to Palawan pangolin. dicates are behind the lucrative "We are strengtheningour wild- persist. pangolin trade and are in cahoots Meanwhile, the field research life enforcement in our seaport. with local communities. In Palawan, we are coordinating team from Katala Foundation Just last month, authorities had so far conducted ground sur- with PCSD as they have jurisdic- arrested two fishermen and a van tion over Palawan as per Wildlife eys in 12 200-hectare plots in driver for transporting 10 live pan- Act. Wildlife trafficking is now a . the wilderness of the Victoria- golins in Barangay Mendez Cross- transnational crime and we have Anepahan Mountain Range, en- ing East, Tagaytay City. law-enforcement coordination at tailing actual search, recording ArrestedwereSimfrosoCauntay the regionallevel among 10 Asean and measurement of pangolins Salazar, 53, driver And aresident of member-states," he said. in the wild and observing their Kilometer 115 Talisay, Calatagan, Pangolins are very vulner- forest habitats. Batangas; Jorlan Libertino Tor- able. While they appear to be a Initial results of the study re- requinada, 39, and Victor Cabu- sturdy species, these nocturnal, vealed that from September to niag Equiza, 40, of P. Mabuhay very shy mammals, are sure to December 2018, the team recorded Abaroan, Roxas, Palawan. die in captivity. 14 pangolins—two of which are Rogelio Demelletes, a senior pregnant—in a total surveyed area of 800 hectares.

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