Environment
Veteran Tamaraw
Rangers Ed Bata and
Ronnie Estrella
accompanied the
author and other
Bio-Camp participants,
sharing their
experiences, field
skills and dreams.
(Gregg Yan)
badly need new gear, our rangers will keep going,” promises Pineda.
“It is from them that I draw strength.”
JUNGLE ENGINEERS
Back at the river I hop back before the bamboo pole completely
collapses. I gaze at the shivering Taw’buid woman on the riverbank
and curse myself for not being able to do more for her. Eventually
the rain eases up, the river becomes calmer – and help arrives.
The first of our team’s Taw’buid and Buhid porters arrive to
assess the situation. Rapidly they string more vines around the
battered bridge while a lithe scout crosses with a fisho, a long
Taw’buid blade – emerging minutes later with two fresh bamboo
poles. As we sweat, grunt and try to avoid falling in the river, the
Tamaraw Conservation
Programme (TCP) Coordinator
June Pineda sports – what
else? – a lovely Tamaraw
tattoo on her forearm.
(Gregg Yan)
Tamaraw are the world’s rarest
buffalo – with only about 600
holding out in selected mountain
ranges in Mindoro. (Gregg Yan)
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