Tacurong bird haven faces threat from poachers

(Last of two parts)

TACURONG City, Sultan Kudarat—The marshy farm of Rey Oliver Malana by the ridges of the Banga River in Barangay (village) Baras in Tacurong City, is a haven of migratory birds.

In a bumpy road amid the oil palm plantation, seven kilometers off the city, the Baras Bird Sanctuary boasts of egrets and herons of diverse breeds. Malana puts their number at 20,000.

The birds’ favorite places are the kakawate and bamboo groves. At daybreak and sun dusk, the egrets and herons roost on the trees, giving them a snowy hue from afar.

“They are largely undisturbed,” says Malana, as his family has banned bird-hunting for food. The wardens take turns protecting the site.

Avian flu free

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has declared the sanctuary avian flu-free.

In a notice signed by its director, Efren Nuestro, conspicuously posted at the sanctuary, the BAI tested 30 serum samples from the birds, ducks and chickens in November last year but found them negative for avian influenza antibody and virus.

Another round of tests is set this month.

During late afternoon walks by visitors through the sanctuary, the birds reveal themselves through their songs. Nonstop, they sang and sang.

The warden-cum-tour guide could name each bird by its call. A pair of egrets squeals at each other across the trees and the rufous cheep.

“This is definitely a great-looking sanctuary where you can relax your mind just by looking at the ways of the birds,” says Nerissa Gicana, 48, pointing to a flock of cattle herons making their way to their home.

Gicana took a walk around the place. “This could be a venue for people to understand flora and fauna, and be advocates of nature conservation.”

Guardian of the birds

But the reserve is increasingly threatened. Up in the trees, the haunting shots of an airgun break the stillness.

Many poachers sneak, even in the dead of the night, searching for eggs. Malana had caught a thief, who was a minor.

The frequent killings of birds in the surrounding villages and poachers from the nearby town of Isulan have prompted Malana to seek help from the city government. He needs swift action as about 30 birds are caught in a day.

“That’s alarming,” says Malana, stressing the grave need to set up hunting-free home for the migratory birds.

“My heart is here. I will never stop looking after the birds’ welfare,” Malana says.

In 2003, Mayor Lina Montilla appropriated P1 million to support four wildlife wardens and Malana as project-in-charge. The fund also set up a perimeter fence, lookout tower, sanitary facility and multipurpose receiving hall.

When it officially adopted the bird sanctuary in August 2005, the city government imposed bird-friendly policies through an ordinance aimed at conserving the site and punishing offenders with one-month imprisonment and P5,000 fine.

Hunters, beware

But there is no stopping the rogue men.

Warden Anecito Delicana had once been shot at. “Luckily, I ducked,” he says, pointing to the bushes at the river’s edge where the men hid.

Delicana, who works 24 hours straight in his turn, says he would hear about 10 loud shots daily aimed at the birds.

“I check the direction of gun shots and tell them (who are hiding in the bushes) to stop. That’s illegal and we have the law to abide by or they will go to jail. But they don’t listen; often, they aim their guns at us. They swim in the river to get their catch at the reserve. We are threatened here but we have to do this, this is our job,” Delicana says.

The wardens in their daily early-morning walks at the inner sanctuary usually find around 10 dead birds, young and adults. “We just dig a small patch of dirt for their graves,” Delicana says.

“You are not looking at common birds, but beautiful migratory birds,” Malana says.

Keeping track of the thousands of birds is no simple task. “It could be a lot easier if we have technology to monitor the movement of the birds,” Malana says.