Asian Bird Fair & Philippine Bird Fest

Davao City intensified its bid to become the country’s top eco-tourism destination as it played host to the 1st Asian Bird Fair and 6th Philippine Bird Festival that started September 24 to 26, 2010 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

Davao City is the first Mindanao city that hosted the two-day Philippine Bird Festival, the country’s premier avian conservation and eco-tourism event. Various cities and provinces in Luzon and Visayas, such as Puerto Princesa, Bataan, Cebu and Quezon City, already have hosted the said annual environmental event.

More than 30 foreign and local bird-watching organizations and thousands of students from all over the region participated in the event. Delegates were welcomed with a fiesta-themed dinner hosted by City Mayor Sara Duterte at Matina Town Square.

Activities, such as lectures, exhibits, film showing, workshop, story-telling, and interactive learning included in the event’s activity.

Various talks and presentations on bird-watching were also presented by the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, Bird Conservation Nepal, Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Borneo Bird Club, World Wildlife Fund, Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Hornbill Research Foundation, Philippine Eagle Foundation, among others. The controversial, Oscar -winning documentary, The Cove, was also shown for the first time in the city.

The festival sought to enrich eco-tourism through bird-watching and promoted the natural and cultural heritage of its host cities. It was also a significant occasion to draw attention to critical environmental preservation issues and find a common ground in protecting the birds in the region.

For further information, contact the Davao Tourism office at (6382)222-1956, telfax (6382)222-1957, email info@davaotourism.com, dabaw_madayaw@yahoo.com or visit the website http://www.davaotourism.com.

First National Zoological Conference

The First National Zoological Conference was held last August 23 to 24, 2010 at the Bulwagang Buhay-llang, Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. The two-day event was organized by the PhilZoos Association together with the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB). Its theme is “Zoological Parks: Moving Towards the 21st Century.

PhilZoos is an organization of zoo owners and operators to share notable insights and invaluable knowledge that will revolve on three-pronged” objectives: Promotion of responsible zoological park operations, enhancing awareness of zoological park owners/managers/staff on existing policies and other basic considerations in zoological park establishment and operation; orientation about PhilZoos and to obtain the latter’s support on the agency’s endeavors.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) can promote the country as a must-see destination for foreign tourists not only because of its world-class beaches and resorts, historical and cultural landmarks, world-class products and goods, beautiful sceneries but also zoos where they can view birds and animals in the Philippines.

The Philippines has also rare birds and animals tourists must see because they are now becoming extinct with the loss of their national habitat. These are the tamaraw in Mindoro, the pilandok or Philippine mouse deer, the smallest hoofed animal found only on Balabas Island, Palawan, the kagwang, a unique animal in the wilderness of Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Basilan and some parts of Mindanao, kooka, the largest of flying squirrels found in the Philippines, the malmag, one of the smallest primates in the world, the deer found in the forests of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the tandikan or peacock pheasant, found only in the forests of Palawan, the dalud or imperial pigeon found in the forest bird, and the kalangay, the Philippine cockatoo now restricted in Palawan.

PhilZoos PAWB and conference organizers have laid out the following topics for discussion: Basic Policies on: Zoological Park Development and Operations: Animal Welfare and Ethics Welfare: Evaluation of Non-Human Animals in Philippine Zoos, Role of Zoological Parks in Wildlife conservation; Developing Wildlife Park Operators into a Responsible Organization: The SEAZA Experience. Talks were given by Southeast Asia Zoological Association (SEAZA) president Dr. Jansen Manansang, PAWB director, Dr. Mundita Lim, another of International Animal Welfare and Ethics, Dr. G. Agooramorthy: P2 Rommel Almarzon of PMA Baguio City; Dennis Salvador of Philippine Eagle Foundation.

For further information, contact PAWB at (632) 9246031-35, email planning@pawb.gov.ph or visit http://www.pawb.gov.ph/