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Ell \ T. 01-.19- 20 rAur it OA I f DENR to public: Surrender rescued Taal wildlife By ELIZABETH MARCELO The hornbill is currently at the BMB's _ Wildlife Rescue Center in Quezon City, The Department of Environment and where it will be rehabilitated before being Natural Resources (DENR) has appealed released into the wild. to the public to turn over to authorities any "Once the bird recovers, it can be released rescued endangered and endemic animals in the same area (TVPL) once everything is from Taal Volcano. settled or in the Calabarzon area where their "We are appealing to the public to rescue species are widespread," Calderon said. and firm over to the DENR any wildlife Sanitary disposal species within the vicinity of Taal Volcano With many animals killed in areas af- to ensure their safety," Environment Un- dersecretary Benny Antiporda said in a fected by the volcanic eruption, the Depart- ment of Health (DOH) issued an advisory statement over the weekend. Antiporda said endangered and endemic on how the remains should be buried. animals within the Taal Volcano Protected For one, the agency said those burying Landscape (TVPL) may have migrated to dead animals should wear gloves and a residential communities after the volcano mask when they handle the animal's car- started spewing ash and other hazardous cass The burial ground should be three to four feet deep and, for mass burials, the particles since last week. depth of the burial ground should be six feet Antiporda said the animals, which local residents may have unintentionally cap- from the last animal buried there. tured, must be brought to wildlife rehabilita- The agency added that the burial ground tion centers for proper care. must be far from water sources. Antiporda made the appeal after he Many domestic animals and livestock received a rescued rufous llombill from were left on Taal Volcano island when their Cavite Educators Lions Club member and owners evacuated due to the eruption a Bacoor City resident for Locson. The bird week ago. Efforts by various groups are is suspected to have fled from the TVPL. currently underway to rescue them. The rufous hornbill, locally known as ka- On its website, the Atlanta-based Center law, is a large species of hornbill found only for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in the Philippines. The animal falls within in the US had issued some recommenda- tions on proper animal disposal following the "Red List" of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which means that an emergency. it is considered a vulnerable species, nearly According to the CDC, proper hand washing by those involved in the disposal is threatened by extinction. The DENR warned that eating wildlife important to prevent infection with "certain or keeping them as pets is against the law. pathogens that may be transmitted from Meanwhile, environment assistant sec- farm animals, including salmonella and E. retary and concurrent Biodiversity Man- coli." agement Bureau (BMB) director Ricardo "People working to clean up areas Calderon said rescued wildlife from Taal containing, swine or poultry carcasses Volcano may be turned over to the DENR should... wear protedive clothing, including field offices in Batangas or in Cavite. waterproof gloves, waterproof boots and "The DENR field offices in Batangas — protative eyeweaf" and to cover any open Calaca and Lipa — are ready to receive these wounds, the agency added. The CDC recommended the use of duct animals once they are rescued," Calderon tape to "seal tops of gloves and boots to pre- said. "We have teams from the field offices on vent water seepage." It also recommended respiratory protection such as N95 face site that are helping in rescuing the animals in the peripheries of the area," he added. masks or respirators, adding that if there is a smell of hydrogen sulfide (like a rotten Apart from wildlife species, Calderon said the BMB is also helping in the rescue egg smell) one must leave the area. of domesticated animals. Calderon said The agency also advised the public to wash hands and shower and wash hair thor- the rescued animals are either turned over - the local government oughly after handling animal carcasses or to the owners or to carcass-contaminated materials. All clothes units in the area. As to the rescued rufous hornbill, initial and boots should be cleaned and disin- fected. Wash work clothes separately from checkup shows that it is "generally healthy despite being stressed," Calderon said. street clothes. — With Sheila Crisostomo lk STRAncic timany".gn I I I I I I L COMMUNICATIIM urrot rAGE1 BANNER EDITORIAL CARTOON INITIATIVES STORY STORY miNemer DENVICE MANILAMILLETIN rAGE town THE NATION'S LEADING NEWSPAPER 0 1 - 1 9 - 2 PAGE I/ DATE Turn over wildlife displaced by volcano eruption, public told By EllALYN BE VERA-RUIZ The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged the public on Saturday to turn over to authorities any wildlife species that have fled after the Taal Volcano's eruption. Not only did the volcanic eruption drive thousands of people in the Taal Volcano Island and neighboring areas to evacuate, but the DENR noted that endangered and endemic animals within the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL) could have also migrated to nearby communities after the active volcano ejected giant clouds ol ash and lava last week. DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda advised the public to immediately turn over to authorities any wildlife species they see or unintentionally capture to al- low these animals to be brought to wildlife rehabilitation centers for proper attention and care. "We are appealing to the members of the public to rescue and turn over tc the DENR any wildlife species within the vicinity of Taal Volcano to ensure their safety," he said. A rufus hornbill was turned over to the DENR last Thursday by Bacoor City resi- dent Flor Locson, who suspected that the bird she rescued came from TVPL. The hornbill which was "generally healthy despite being stressed" is cur- rently at the Biodiversity Managament Bureau's (BMB) Wildlife Restue Center in Quezon City, where it will be rehabilitated before releasing it to the wild. t.sall !WM IC rthi±11)(hifirririXI rtniii!OFFiiii ti10410111 r r. CI /A iAil it,i1CM ION R ritm j 11/1111611 I tione••••••••• INI I IM I VI :; b-e MIMI STORY woini••••••••• -1 MANILIWIULLETIN inur - r THE NATION'S WADING NEWSPA PER p1-19-zk IIIIr Bayanitil an saves animals Hundreds of wildlife creatures were affected by Taal Volcano eruption BY MAXINE LOUISE LAGMAN gether with the purest hearts of our 50 more on Thursday, before gov- IMAGES BY ALI VICOY volunteers, partner groups, and the ernment rescue teams decided to call generosity of everyone who donated, off efforts to save the animals until we were able to reach out and provide they got the go signal to return and en Taal volcano erupted little comfort to the affected families," continue the rescue efforts. last Sunday, Jan.12, the said the group. "The smiles of the The National Disaster Risk Re- once green pasture, lively people and the hope we saw in their duction and Management Council neighborhood, and tour- eyes are what fuels our endless pas- (NDRRMC) spokesperson Mark Tim- W bal said some towns have been placed ist attraction became a black-and- sion to serve." white portrait of a land enveloped by Pet owner Aljay Esguerra shared under lock down to avoid residents ashes with no signs of life. that he returned to their home in Tal- from returning to the danger zone. At least 6,000 residents were forced isay, Batangas to rescue his dog Milk- Veterinarians from the Philippine to evacuate immediately to safe cen- tea. He was crying, because he couldn't Pet Birth Control Center Foundation ters when the volcano spewed plumes find Milktea anywhere until he saw a (PPBCC) helped in giving vet care to of ash that fell to nearby provinces note posted on their gate, saying the rescued animals. "We're trying to and areas as far as Central Luzon. that UPMV K9 rescued his dog and a treat as many as we could. All need The Philippine Institute of Volca- contact number where he could get in vet care and most were dehydrated," nology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) touch with them. says Dianne Marie of PPBCC. raised the alert level to 4, indicating Those with free spaces in their that a "hazardous eruption" was pos- homes, like Edsel Pagcaliwangan CALL TO ACTION sible within days or hours. Paredes and Ritchie Fabella Carreon, When they reached Taal island, People had no choice but to leave offered temporary shelter for animals PETA Asia did not hold back and said their pets and farm animals be- who needed a place to stay. All for it was "covered with dead animals hind as ferries and trucks could not free. and reeks of decomposing flesh." accommodate them. The rescue ef- People for the Ethical Treatment All-Breed Association of the forts were not ready to transport of Animals (PETA) Asia and its vol- Philippines (ABAP) K9, another animals. But when the volcano rested, unteers have also been on ground non-profit search and rescue orga- the Filipinos wasted no time to go in the evacuation zone, providing nization, was also at the scene. Sec- back for their animal retary general Red Oliva companions.