G. M. Cadigal/Our Palawan 1 (1): 23-34 Our Palawan The Scientific Journal of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Research and Analysis: Sustainable Development Research/Biological Diversity Available on-line at www.pkp.pcsd.gov.ph Collection and Trade Dynamics of Edible Nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus Thunberg, 1812) Nest in Northern Palawan, Philippines Glenda M. Cadigal1 Abstract Keywords: This paper seeks to describe, assess and evaluate the edible birds collection and trade of edible birds nest in the nest Municipalities of Taytay and El Nido, areas stronghold Nido of edible nest production in the province of Palawan, swiftlets Philippines. Determining the swiftlet species, evaluating the nest collection, trade practices and existing regulatory mechanisms against the government provisions on the conservation and management of caves resources and wildlife are the goals of the study. Such research objective aims to translate findings into policy recommendations for sustainable resource production and management. Issues and challenges such as overharvesting and poaching; declining nest production and quality; declining quality of bird residential habitat and food supply source due to (a) change in land use (conversion of forest to upland agriculture, plantations and clearing); (b) conflicting land use options against nest collection; and (c) use of pesticides from adjacent agriculture areas and tourism were documented. Establishment and implementation of open and close season for harvesting of edible nest is highly recommended to ensure sustainability of harvest and bird population. 1Project Development Officer, ECAN Zones Management Division, PCSDS Address correspondence to: PCSD Building, Sports, Complex Road, Sta. Monica Heights, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan P.O. Box 45 PPC 5300 Palawan, Philippines. Email: [email protected] ©2015 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development 23 G. M. Cadigal/Our Palawan 1 (1): 23-34 1. INTRODUCTION 2. METHODOLOGY Palawan Province, home to major This research is mainly a descriptive protected areas and a declared UNESCO Man and evaluative study. The study analyzed the and the Biosphere Reserve (MAB) is practice of permitting regulation, nest safeguarded by a special law, Republic Act collection and trade by the gatherers, 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) concession holders, buyers and traders, and the catering to the islands’ fragile configuration. local government units (LGU). Research SEP Law for Palawan evolve around the inputs include the taxonomic identification of sustainable development concept as its resource the swiftlet species by actual specimen management strategy. collection and identification. Among the province’s unique ecosystem Cave locations were determined using is the El Nido – Taytay Managed Resource a Global Positioning System to come up with Protected Area (ENTMRPA) in the an edible birds nest active caves map. The municipalities of Taytay and El Nido in North study sites covered the islands of Pandan, Palawan. Unique limestone cliff of karst Pabellon Pequeno and Pabellon Grande in formation makes up most of the local islands, Taytay (Figure 1); Estar and Imorigue Cave preferred habitats of the edible nest producing Complex in Barangay Maytigued and swiftlets providing one of the world’s most Barangays New Ibajay and Bebeladan in El sought after and expensive animal products Nido, Palawan (Figure 2). consumed by humans for over 400 years (Hobbs, 2004). The Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN) is highly popular to the Chinese for pharmaceutical applications and a delicacy believed to promote beauty and longevity (Lim, 2011 pers com). The nests are built during the birds’ breeding season from December to June (Sheshnarayan, 2009) as the birds prepare for egg laying, using its interwoven saliva as the building block for nest weaving until it takes the shape of a shallow cup stuck to the cave wall. Nest collection has been a practice in these areas for centuries. However, the actual volume of harvested products shipped out of the province has never been declared including the flow of monetary transaction and how much the industry is worth. The government’s laws, policies and conservation action on nest regulation and management is also not clear. In the Philippines, there are two (2) national laws significant on birds and its habitat, Caves (RA 9072) and Wildlife (RA 9147). In April and May 2001 respectively, the administrative mandate for the implementation of these laws is relied to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD). However, strict compliance to the provisions of these laws need to be examined in the view of sustainable development and species survival amidst anecdotal reports of declining nest supply and quality. The impending threat of a Figure 1. Location Map of Municipalities collapsing edible bird’s nest industry prompted of Taytay and El Nido, Palawan, this research in its attempt to provide the much needed answers for species conservation. (2011) 24 © 2015 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development G. M. Cadigal/Our Palawan 1 (1): 23-34 (a) (b) Figure 2. Barangays of New Ibajay and Figure 3. (a) Nest of edible-nest swiftlet and Bebeladan in El Nido and Bgy. (b) nest and eggs (Photos courtesy of Maytigued, Taytay, Palawan as Jovic Fabello ) focused study sites (Taytay and El Nido, Palawan, 2011) The study utilized interview approach of solidified saliva weaved for 35 days using a semi-structured questionnaire, Focus (Encyclopedia of Life, 2014; Jordan, 2004) and Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant is collected to make bird's nest soup (Figure Survey (KIS). All three (3) concession contract 3). Local respondents from the study site holders in Taytay and El Nido and 36 gatherers observed that nests are made by both male and and traders served as respondents for study. female birds in a simultaneous manner, each working on two (2) ends of the nest cup. As a group, Aerodramus swiftlets are 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION distributed very broadly, with species occurring in southern continental Asia, the Philippines, Indo-Australian archipelago, to The edible-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus north Australia, west and southwest Pacific and fuciphagus) is a small bird of the swift family on islands in the South Pacific and Indian found in South-east Asia. These swallow-like Oceans (Government of Italy, 1994; EOL, birds are closely related to hummingbirds, 2014). The species is native to Brunei, which are able to navigate through dark caves Cambodia, Mainland China, India, Indonesia, using echolocation. The bird produces nest Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, attached on the walls of caves made Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam in which all are reported to be extant. ©2015 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development 25 G. M. Cadigal/Our Palawan 1 (1): 23-34 Considered as the most aerial of birds, and Sankaran, 2010) by dictating the level of a common swift can cruise at a maximum availability of food sources. Information on the speed of 31 meters per second or 112 km/hr, habitat preference, feeding and breeding 70 mph (Piper, 2007). The legs, as with many requirements of the species contributes in swifts, are very short, preventing the birds determining site species factors that dictate from perching, but allowing them to cling to species breeding success. This information will vertical surfaces. The flight is mainly gliding provide management conservation solutions to due to very long primary feathers and small re-engineer the conservation efforts for the breast muscles. Aerodramus swiftlets, depend- species. ing on species, weigh 8–35 grams (0.28– 1.23 oz) and are 9–16 centimetres (0.28– The breeding seasonality of the 1.23 inches) long (EOL, 2014; Chantler and edible–nest swiftlets is strongly linked with Driessens, 2000). rainfall (Sheshnarayan, 2009). Northern Palawan’s condition is of Type I climate Aerodramus are aerial insectivores, wherein there are two pronounced seasons, wet which take prey on insects such as flies, and dry, with maximum rain period from June attacking on the wings. They roost and breed to September and a dry season which lasts in caves; during the day they leave the caves from 3 to 6 months (Moog, 2005). Here, rainfall to forage for food, and return to roost at night. occurs mostly during the southwest monsoon They are monogamous and both partners take (“Habagat”) season prevailing during the rainy part in caring for the nestlings. The breeding months of June to September. Sheshnarayan’s season overlaps the wet season, which study in 2009 showed that the species mostly corresponds to an increased insect population copulate on the nest producing 2 eggs as a nor- (EOL, 2014; Chantler and Driessens, 2000). mal clutch with many birds laying second In the Philippines, observed breeding season clutches (75%) and some third clutches (15- occurs from the months of May to November 4%) using the same nest (Langham, 2008). during the wet periods. An observed fidelity Incubation period is 23 ± 3days, while fledging to the roosting site was documented based on periods is 43 + 6 day. Total days requirement anecdotal information from respondents, from incubation to fledging is 78 ± 3 days or wherein the same pair will construct the nest almost 2.6 months. exactly where it was first created. The same spot will be continuously utilized as long as Protection Status it is not disturbed and remain in the cave Aerodramus fuciphagus (Figure 4) is and birds do not migrate (EOL, 2014). No classified under Least Concern by IUCN population trend has been recorded for the justified by its extremely large range, and hence species, however, the population is suspected does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable to be in decline owing to over harvesting of under the range size criterion (Extent of eggs and nestlings (Birdlife, 2014; Del Hoyo et al., 1999). Birdlife International in 2014 estimated the extent of area covered by the bird utilized for breeding / residence to cover as much as 1,650,000 square kilometers (km2).