Four years after she was rescued and released back to the wild in Palawan province, Gold, a Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), has successfully hatched an egg, marking a success story amid the persistent threats to her species’ dwindling numbers.
The critically endangered bird was among the five hatchlings that were rescued in the Dumaran Island Critical Habitat in May 2016.
Wildlife wardens working under the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme of Katala Foundation Inc. (KFI) found the young birds starving due to the lack of food during the extremely dry months.
When she was rescued, Gold, which was named after the colour of her leg band, weighed less than 60gm – half of the normal weight for a cockatoo hatchling.
“To rescue hatchlings is a tough (decision) to make,” said Peter Widmann, KFI species conservation programme director. “The great challenge is releasing them back to the wild and monitoring whether they are accepted by the wild flock.”
Locally known as “katala”, Philippine cockatoos or red-vented cockatoos used to be found all over the country’s lowland forests and mangroves. But habitat destruction and poaching for pet trade pushed their population to near-extinction.
This endemic bird was also widely hunted, even for leisure, since some people consider them agricultural pests.
To date, there are only roughly 1,000 Philippine cockatoos left in the wild, with 90% of the global population found in Palawan province. Close to 75% are in the four project sites of KFI in the province, the biggest of which is in Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary, home to close to 500 cockatoos.
Under the conservation program, former poachers are employed and trained to monitor and protect the cockatoos and their habitats, using the traditional knowledge and skills that they used to employ in their hunting days. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
The critically endangered bird was among the five hatchlings that were rescued in the Dumaran Island Critical Habitat in May 2016.
Wildlife wardens working under the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme of Katala Foundation Inc. (KFI) found the young birds starving due to the lack of food during the extremely dry months.
When she was rescued, Gold, which was named after the colour of her leg band, weighed less than 60gm – half of the normal weight for a cockatoo hatchling.
“To rescue hatchlings is a tough (decision) to make,” said Peter Widmann, KFI species conservation programme director. “The great challenge is releasing them back to the wild and monitoring whether they are accepted by the wild flock.”
Locally known as “katala”, Philippine cockatoos or red-vented cockatoos used to be found all over the country’s lowland forests and mangroves. But habitat destruction and poaching for pet trade pushed their population to near-extinction.
This endemic bird was also widely hunted, even for leisure, since some people consider them agricultural pests.
To date, there are only roughly 1,000 Philippine cockatoos left in the wild, with 90% of the global population found in Palawan province. Close to 75% are in the four project sites of KFI in the province, the biggest of which is in Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary, home to close to 500 cockatoos.
Under the conservation program, former poachers are employed and trained to monitor and protect the cockatoos and their habitats, using the traditional knowledge and skills that they used to employ in their hunting days. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
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