OLONGAPO CITY: A brown booby, an endangered seabird, was rescued and released back into the wild after it was spotted along the coastline of Barangay Masagana in Dilasag, Aurora, marking the first documented sighting of the seabird in the province.
In a statement on Sept. 9, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said its community environment and natural resources office in Casiguran worked with the municipal government of Dilasag to rescue and assess the bird.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office officer Ariel Mendoza said a resident found the bird struggling to stay aloft and immediately sought help from local authorities.
The bird was turned over to the DENR for assessment, where wildlife enforcement officers found it in good physical condition, with no visible injuries or signs of distress.
“With the help of the municipal authorities of Dilasag, we immediately released it into its natural habitat in Barangay Dicabasan, in accordance with established wildlife rescue, handling, and release protocols,” Mendoza said.
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Ralph Pablo, DENR regional executive director, urged the public to immediately report wildlife sightings to the DENR or local authorities to ensure proper handling and prevent unnecessary disturbance of wild animal habitats.
The brown booby (Sula leucogaster) is listed as an endangered wildlife species under DENR Administrative Order No. 2019-09 and is protected under Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. - Inquirer/ANN
