SAFARI DREAMS

While the Philippines prides itself as a megadiverse country, this rating is mainly due to our marine wildlife and the presence of lots of small terrestrial creatures. Sadly, aggressive development has led to intense degradation of forest lands, leading to the extinction of most large animals.

Elephants and rhinos no longer live outside our zoos. Philippine deer, formerly a prime export 500 years ago, is hardly ever seen in the wild. Seeing a wild crocodile, tamaraw or eagle is probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The closest we can ever get to a safari experience (Caluit giraffes excluded) like what you have in Africa or India to see large Philippine animals in the wild is a tour organized by the Hijo Resorts in Tagum in Davao del Norte. Their plantation grounds cover enough wild hectarage that they actually have endemic animals on the premises. Pathetically, this population consists of only two mammals: the warty pig and the monkey.

If only our conservation efforts expanded more forcefully, one day our grandchildren would see deer and tamaraw outside of their school textbooks.