TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 8
The park is famed for hosting the best-protected population of
Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), Earth’s most endangered buffalo
species. Droves of mountain climbers and birdwatchers visit – intent
on seeing flying jewels like the Mindoro Hornbill (Penelopides
mindorensis) and Mindoro Bleeding Heart (Gallicolumba platenae).
The park is also home to the reclusive Taw’buid, largest of the
eight tribes collectively called Mangyan – the others being the
Alangan, Bangon, Buhid, Hanunuo, Iraya, Ratagnon and Tadyawan.
Last time I visited was when the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),
Tamaraw Conservation Programme (TCP) and National Geographic
gave the tribe a shipment of solar lamps. The Taw’buid holds a
special place in my heart.
This year I was invited by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) to join the second Bio-Camp, an annual move
to enhance public support for Tamaraw conservation. UNDP’s
Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) works to mobilize resources
to finance nature and sustainable development, deliver more
efficient outcomes, improve spending efficiency and choose
current investments which can save money in the future. BIOFIN
helps close the funding gap to implement critically-important
biodiversity conservation projects.
Led by TCP Coordinator June Pineda, participants Bibiana
Aguha, Jes Aznar, Mitch De Juan, Kim Lim, Nella Lomotan, Bernard
Magcarang, Gab Mejia, Maricor Montalbo, Celine Murillo, Angie
Ogena, Kamille Rosales, Mitch Tuyan, Derald Umali and Gab Visenio
all summited Mt. Magawang, saw Tamaraw in the wild and had
lively discussions on how best to help rangers – the real heroes of
the Iglit-Baco Natural Park.
RANGERS ON PATROL
“If the rangers disappear, the Tamaraw disappear. The Taw’buid
believe that if the Tamaraw disappears, their people will too. We
can thus say our Tamaraw Rangers are key to sustaining the natural
habitat of the Tamaraw within the Iglit-Baco Natural Park,” says TCP
Tamaraw Rangers look for
wildlife below the crest of
Mt. McGowen – now called
Mt. Magawang – in Mindoro
Occidental. The summit is the
best place to observe wild
Tamaraw in the Philippines.
(Gregg Yan)
Pelted by rain, this Taw’buid
woman has nothing but a
banana leaf for protection.
She made it out safely.
(Gregg Yan)
Coordinator June Pineda.
We were accompanied by three kinds
of rangers: Park rangers safeguard the
park against poachers, tamaraw rangers
lead expeditions and protect Tamaraw
wherever they may be, while wardens are
rangers-in-training.
“Tamaraw patrols are sent out once
or twice weekly and last about three
days each,” explains TCP Field Operations
Officer Ed Bata. “Last August we found a
Tamaraw skull and the lower left jawbone
of a Philippine Deer – probably shot for
meat by hunters. Poachers come at night,
flashlights rigged under the barrels of
illegally-acquired long-arms like M14s.”
As I found in Borneo for another wildlife
adventure years back, many wild animals
stop and stare at bright lights at night,
their eyes glowing a freaky red.
“Our equipment is old. Our last
computer broke down recently. Though we
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