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Four Years After Haiyan, They are Still Recovering

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Four Years After Haiyan, They are Still Recovering

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A family greatly affected by the typhoon and their current state 4 years after.

Image: Jayson Chavez

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Typhoon Haiyan death toll tops 6,000 in the Philippines - CNN

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Nearly five weeks after Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Philippines, the government now says more than 6,000 people have been reported dead.

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The Role of Trees in Post-Haiyan Recovery

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The Role of Trees in Post-Haiyan Recovery

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Trees and forests contribute to recovery from the world's most powerful typhoon in the Philippines - ProQuest

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This is a short preview of the document. Your library or institution may give you access to the complete full text for this document in ProQuest.

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Highlights

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The impact of super typhoon Haiyan on Philippine mangroves was evaluated.

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The old and monospecific Rhizophora plantations were affected more fatally.

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Mortality factors strongly linked with storm physical attributes were discussed.

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Predicting similar fate of Haiyan survivors, and post-storm plantings following old protocols.

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Reiterating the decade-old call for a science-based management of mangrove systems.

Abstract

In the aftermath of super typhoon Haiyan, which devastated central Philippines on 08 November 2013, mangroves gained renewed national interest. Other than claiming thousands of lives and displacing millions of people, Haiyan wrought massive damage to infrastructure, crops, and coastal systems including mangroves. In this paper, the impact of Haiyan on mangroves across the entire impact corridor (i.e., Samar-Palawan stretch; broad-scale survey) was assessed, with particular focus on the planted Rhizophora cohorts (various forest age; detailed assessment) in Bantayan Island, typical of the massive planting programs in the country. Of the 21 mangrove species recorded within the impact corridor encompassing some 28,000 ha of heavily defoliated forests, the large-sized (older) Rhizophora spp. individuals were generally unable to produce epicormic sprouts resulting in mass mortality, in contrast to the other dominant mangrove taxa with high epicormic resprouting potential (e.g., Sonneratia, Avicennia, and Aegiceras). Focusing on the Bantayan cohorts, this paper found that, overall, 45% of the existing 20-ha, multi-aged Rhizophora plantations was severely damaged by typhoon Haiyan, but with mortality gradient being clearly directly related with stand age, i.e., for those >32 yr old, mortality was massive (>95%), while those < 8 yr old, although similarly totally defoliated, full recovery was attained < 2 years after Haiyan. Within old plantations, this paper also found significant differences in the mortality of trees in the core and in the periphery. These findings (1) offer a number of insights on the general age-frequency distribution and the growth architecture of Rhizophora spp. vis-a-vis other mangrove species within typhoon belts in the Philippines and in other countries with similar circumstances, and (2) demonstrate the high vulnerability of Rhizophora plantations against super typhoons, eventually suffering mass mortality upon attaining certain age threshold (>32 yr). Thus, the post- Haiyan mangrove enhancement practices which still insist to prefer Rhizophora as the main taxa for planting, must be seriously reconsidered to avoid similar fate, taking into account the wind exposure - growth and forest architecture dynamics, as Haiyan uniquely demonstrated in this paper.

Keywords

Mangroves within storm-eye radius

Mangrove conservation and rehabilitation efforts

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Impact of Haiyan on Philippine mangroves: Implications to the fate of the widespread monospecific Rhizophora plantations against strong typhoons

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JavaScript is disabled on your browser. Please enable JavaScript to use all the features on this page. * The impact of super typhoon Haiyan on Philippine mangroves was evaluated. * The old and monospecific Rhizophora plantations were affected more fatally. * Mortality factors strongly linked with storm physical attributes were discussed.

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In 2013, the world has seen one of the greatest natural calamities in the history of mankind. And it hit the Philippines.

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Impacts of Invasive Alien Species in Philippine Biodiversity

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Impacts of Invasive Alien Species in Philippine Biodiversity

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Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of invasive alien species in island ecosystems | Environmental Conservation | Cambridge Core

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Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of invasive alien species in island ecosystems - Volume 34 Issue 2 - JAMIE K. REASER, LAURA A. MEYERSON, QUENTIN CRONK, MAJ DE POORTER, L.G. ELDREGE, EDMUND GREEN, MOSES KAIRO, PEPETUA LATASI, RICHARD N.

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Invasive Alien Species in the Philippines

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Invasive Alien Species in the Philippines

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Joshi (2006, unpubl.)

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The Philippine National List of Threatened Plants

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The Philippine National List of Threatened Plants

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THE NATIONAL LIST OF THREATENED PHILIPPINE PLANTS AND THEIR CATEGORIES (1)

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1-5, 6-10: IUCN
5: Kok Leng Yo

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Ten of the (n) number of Philippine Animal Species  in the IUCN Red List

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Ten of the (n) number of Philippine Animal Species  in the IUCN Red List

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1. Pithecophaga jefferyi (Philippine Eagle)

2. Manis culionensis (Philippine Pangolin)

3. Crocodylus mindorensis (Philippine Crocodile)

4. Gallicolumba platenae (Mindoro Bleeding-Heart)

5. Bubalus mindorensis (Tamaraw)

6. Cynocephalus volans (Philippine Flying Lemur)

7. Tragulus nigricans (Balabac Mouse Deer)

8. Cacatua haematuropygia (Philippine Cockatoo)

9. Gallicolumba keayi (Negros Bleeding Heart)

10. Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni (Rufous-headed Hornbill)

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Sardinella tawilis, only found in Taal Lake is declared Endangered

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Sardinella tawilis, only found in Taal Lake is declared Endangered

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One of the reasons for this is the overexploitation/ over fishing

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MANILA, Philippines - The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed tawilis, the only freshwater sardine in the world, on the list of endangered species.

Threats to the survival of tawilis (Sardinella tawilis) include "overexploitation, pollution and competition and/or predation with introduced fishes," the IUCN said.

"Overfishing, illegal use of active fishing gears such as motorized push net and ring net, proliferation of fish cages, and deterioration of water quality" are also among factors to the dwindling number of tawilis.

"Na-assess siya as endangered. Well, ibig sabihin, it's a step closer na pwede na siyang maging extinct. Pero wala pa naman siya doon," National Academy of Science and Technology's Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos said in a report by GMA's 24 Oras on Wednesday.

"Wag na sana nating paabutin na maging critically endangered by doing nothing. May pag-asa, may management na ginagawa. Pero to us, it's a wakeup call," he added.

Furthermore, the study stated that this species significantly declined since 1998 with a decline in harvest by about 49% over the past ten years.

This species of sardine can only be found in Taal Lake, Batangas. Major eruptions of Taal Volcano in the 18th century sealed the lake from the sea, eventually leading its waters to become fresh water. Tawilis is one of a few marine species trapped within the lake that have evolved into purely freshwater species.

The IUCN recommended that the Philippine government consider Taal Lake as one of its high priorities for conservation. /cbb

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MANILA, Philippines - The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed tawilis, the only freshwater sardine in the world, on the list of endangered species. Threats to the survival of tawilis (Sardinella tawilis) include "overexploitation, pollution and competition and/or predation with introduced fishes," the IUCN said.

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The Philippine Government Will Fight Against Illegal Wildlife Trade

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The Philippine Government Will Fight Against Illegal Wildlife Trade

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C ampaign Against Wildlife Trafficking Launched in Manila

(Manila, December 14, 2010) - Banners and streamers printed with "Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here" will be unfolded on December 14, 2010 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to signal the start of a more aggressive campaign against wildlife trafficking. With eye catching photos of endangered wildlife, travelers will be informed about the illegality of exploiting transporting species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The campaign also urges travelers not to buy endangered species and to report wildlife crime to the authorities. The launching event will include information seminars for airport personnel to enhance their knowledge on wildlife collection, transportation and trade requirements, and to train them to better detect and prevent wildlife trafficking.

The campaign is part of a regional effort to combat wildlife trafficking through Southeast Asia's airports that started at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport in March 2009, and has since expanded to other airports in Laos and Vietnam. The Philippines is the latest country to join this effort to stamp out trafficking of endangered animals and plants through airports.

"Thousands of wild animals and plants flow through hotspots, such as airports, every day. We need partnerships - between government agencies - and between governments and the private sector - to confront this menace effectively. We are pleased to be a partner with the Government of the Philippines, as well as with the local and international non-government organizations in launching the 'Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here' campaign at NAIA," Mr. Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit, said.

Illegal wildlife trade is a profitable but environmentally destructive crime that threatens species to extinction. Aside from the risks illegally traded wildlife poses to human health and safety, many trafficked animals do not survive the journey.

The campaign is a joint undertaking among the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and the regional ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN). Under the U.S. ASEAN-WEN Support Program, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State provide financial and technical assistance to ASEAN-WEN's efforts to stop wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, with Bangkok-based FREELAND Foundation as the lead implementing partner.

For more information, please contact:
Chrisgel Ryan Cruz, Assistant Senior Officer, ASEAN-WEN Program Coordination Unit,
Tel: +66 2 940-6286, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Editor's Notes:

ASEAN-WEN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Wildlife Enforcement Network. It involves environmental, law enforcement and Customs agencies in all 10 ASEAN countries and facilitates cross-border collaboration in the fight against illegal wildlife trade in the region.

For more information, visit http://www.asean-wen.org

PAWB is the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

For more information, visit http://www.pawb.gov.ph

USAID is the United States Agency for International Development. It has been the principal U.S. agency extending assistance worldwide since 1961. In Asia, USAID supports programs addressing problems that cross national boundaries, such as human and wildlife trafficking, HIV/AIDS, natural resources conservation, trade, and political and economic conflict.

Since 1946, the United States has provided the Republic of the Philippines with more than US$5 billion in economic assistance, including about a billion in food aid. This assistance has helped to develop the country's infrastructure, provide training and technical assistance, increase agricultural productivity and economic growth, promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable environmental management, improve health and nutrition, and foster democracy and decentralization.

For more information, visit http://www.usaid.gov and http://philippines.usaid.gov/

FREELAND Foundation is an international organization dedicated to ending the illegal wildlife trade, conserving natural habitats and protecting human rights. FREELAND works throughout Asia, raising public awareness and building local capacity to protect critical ecosystems, wildlife and human rights. FREELAND is the lead implementing partner of the U.S. Support Program for the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), a program that provides investigative assistance, training and other capacity building support to Southeast Asian authorities tasked with stopping poaching and illegal wildlife trade - a major threat to biodiversity.

For more information, visit http://www.freeland.org

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Campaign Against Wildlife Trafficking Launched in Manila

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Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Philippines in the  Internet Age

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Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Philippines in the  Internet Age

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THE illegal wildlife trade is a major driver of biodiversity loss. In the Philippines, the problem of rampant buying and selling of wild-caught or harvested flora and fauna reflects a global concern especially in biodiversity-rich regions like Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa and Central America.

Hunting for sport and trophy, their meat for food, skin for bags and accessories and body parts for medicine, or even live animals for the pet trade, on a commercial scale has driven iconic animals to the brink of extinction-elephants, tigers, rhinos, lions, leopards and other animals like monkeys, turtles, birds, fish, snakes and lizards.

Among the topmost traded wildlife and wildlife parts are the elephant, rhino, pangolin and tiger.

A document by the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) revealed that the drive to buy them includes perceptions of their ability to cure illness or bring good health, for their rarity and beauty and for good luck or fortune.

Among the drivers to purchase elephant tusks are perceptions of rarity, purity and spirituality, beauty and good luck or good fortune, according to the Usaid paper titled "Consumer Research Findings on Elephant, Pangolin, Rhino and Tiger Parts and Products in China." Among those who bought rhino parts and or products, the drivers to purchase are perceptions that rhino horns bring good health or well-being and cure illnesses. Pangolin is popular because of two major reasons-the beliefs that pangolin parts cure illness and bring good health or well-being. For the tiger, among those who bought tiger parts and/or products, the top four drivers to purchase are perceptions that tigers are rare, they cure illness, bring good health and improve sexual prowess.

For whatever reason, the rampant illegal trade in wildlife aggravates the massive habitat loss, pollution, the spread of deadly diseases, the infestation of invasive alien species and, lately, climate change impact leading to the extinction of targeted species.

An evolving illegal activity

LIKE in other countries, illegal wildlife trade in the Philippines is evolving along with the technological evolution that led to the development of high-tech gadgets that can access the Internet.

The use of simple short messaging service or text messaging, untraceable subscriber identity module, or SIM, cards and burner phones make unscrupulous traders hard to catch. The buying and selling of wild-caught or harvested plants and animals has become an even more lucrative trade, with the easy access to a bigger market and extended reach through the Internet.

Aided by unbridled Internet technology, illegal wildlife trade has become even more challenging to concerned government agencies and wildlife law enforcers.

This is despite a slew of environmental laws, particularly Republic Act (RA) 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001; and RA 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Act System (Nipas) Act of 1992 as amended by RA 11038, or the Expanded Nipas Act of 2018 in the Philippines.

Catching up

PLAYING catch-up, the Philippine government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) launched on November 22 a project to combat environmental organized crime.

The three-year "Combating Environmental Crime in the Philippines" project was launched in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank-Global Environment Facility during the 2nd Wildlife Law Enforcement Summit at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, with particular focus on legal reforms, strengthening law enforcement capacity and raising public awareness to reduce the demand for wildlife and wildlife parts.

Kicking off on November 20 with the theme "Moving Forward: Scaling Up Wildlife Law Enforcement," the three-day summit gathered wildlife law enforcement officers throughout the country, affirming their commitment to combating illegal wildlife trade.

A lucrative trade

THE global illegal wildlife trade continues to thrive. Aided by information and communication technology and now the more advanced and widely used Internet platforms, buying and selling made the business brisker than ever.

The estimated value of illegal wildlife trade varies by one institution to another.

The World Bank's Global Wildlife Program placed the value of illegal wildlife trade between $7.8 billion and $10 billion per year. It is currently considered the fourth most lucrative trade next to narcotics or illegal drugs trade, human trafficking and arms trafficking.

Often, the value of wildlife or wildlife parts, depending on their rarity and beauty, or perceived medical benefits, is more precious than gold.

The value of rhino horns sits at the level of $65,000 (about P3,419,650) per kilo. A rare parrot egg seized in Thailand would have made a trader $33,000 (around P1,736,130) richer. A kilo of elephant tusks could cost as much as $2,100 (P110,481).

Being a consumer, source and transit point for illegally traded wildlife, wildlife parts or products, the value of trade in illegal wildlife in the Philippines is roughly P50 billion or $1 billion a year, including "the market value of the wildlife and resources, their ecological role and value and damage to habitats incurred during poaching and loss in potential ecotourism revenues."

Digitally aided

AIDED by advanced technology-smartphones, Internet technology and the ever-growing popularity of social media, illegal wildlife trade on the Internet is fast becoming the new trend.

During a weeklong training held in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 5 to 9 on "Reporting the Illegal Internet Trade in Wildlife for Journalists from Africa and Asia," experts in combating wildlife crimes revealed the extent the illegal wildlife trade and the reach of organized crime groups that have conveniently found online marketplaces and boosted by various social-media platforms.

The conference, conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in partnership with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime or Global Initiative and funded by the government of Norway, noted that governments and law enforcement agencies are once again caught a step behind in terms of technological capacity, with online marketplaces and social-media platforms having been used in the illegal trade in wildlife.

Playing the game "catch me if you can," these unscrupulous traders and their agents are becoming more elusive, Simone Haysom, senior analyst of Global Initiative, said.

Haysom said that even with online marketplaces and social-media platforms committing to take down advertisements or social-media posts pertaining to selling or buying wildlife, illegal wildlife trade on the Internet persists.

Enforcing the law against illegal wildlife trade online, she added, may pose a bigger challenge to governments with the issue of jurisdiction or even governments' legal capacity to challenge multi-billion-dollar companies raking profits from the lucrative business of online marketing of a wide range of goods and services.

NGOs at play

HAYSOM hinted that nongovernment organizations (NGO) may, at some extent, pose a legal challenge against big online marketplaces or social-media networks, but the question is who will make such initiative considering the cost of litigation and the trouble of challenging multibillion-dollar companies with a pool of legal experts on its payroll.

NGOs like Global Initiative are banking on strong partnerships with journalists, whether they work independently, or companies that operate print, television, radio, multimedia or online media companies, to combat illegal trade in wildlife.

In the group's study, Haysom said there is no one illegal wildlife trade, the coverage of which is dominated by charismatic megafauna like elephant (tusks), rhino (horns) tigers (skin, teeth parts) and pangolin (scales and internal organs), although thousands of species, including plants, are trafficked on a massive scale.

Apparently, she said different commodities have different value chains and market dynamics.

Yet, she said the nature of demand and value, need for processing or live transport, overlap with legal trade, countries of origin and consumption, which affect trade dynamics.

Finally, issues of legality can be highly complex because of the existing national legislation, treaties like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) and other laws connected to Internet use or its application.

Probing online IWT

SARAH Stoner, senior investigations manager at the Wildlife Justice Commission, an NGO that conducts an investigation to expose criminal networks in the illegal trade in wildlife, gave a glimpse of the group's investigations of social-media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Often, Stoner said, buying and selling happen through the use of social media, with middlemen using fictitious accounts and posting photos of their "products" on Facebook or Instagram.

Making illegal wildlife traders harder to catch, illegal wildlife trade also happens in secret or closed groups created for the purpose.

Conducting undercover investigation through Operation Medusa launched in June 2016, the WJC developed intelligence and started gathering evidence on a criminal network dealing in extremely high volumes of raw ivory and rhino horn in Vietnam.

"The network comprises several individuals, all with distinct roles and responsibilities, easing the facilitation of products from a source site to market," she said.

Some unscrupulous individuals in Vietnam were then considered to be significant players in the marketplace, where illegal trade is conducted in a commercial manner.

Working closely with the authorities, WJC was able to help capture a certain Nguyen Anh Son who was arrested with 14 rhino horns in his possession. The suspect later admitted to authorities having in his possession four more rhino horns.

Investigators estimate the total value of all eighteen horns to be more than $250,000 (about P13,152,500).

The suspect was eventually sent to prison with a sentence of 18-month jail term in January this year.

The group also provided intelligence that led to the seizure of 970 kilogram of raw ivory, which equates to 97 elephants, the largest seizure ever dealt with by wildlife law enforcement authorities.

An investigation conducted by WJC revealed that organized crime networks are learning to hide their identities, using third-party players, to make their financial transactions harder to trace.

She added that law enforcement agencies may not have the capacity to tackle such level of elusive criminal activities.

Combating online IWT

HAYSOM said social media can be a source of information and an entry point for investigations.

In fact, she said new tools are now being developed to help automate data collection and use digital methods to the advantage of wildlife crime fighters.

"The Internet is a powerful platform for communication for advocacy, consumer awareness and to spread the results of journalistic investigations," she added. Haysom noted that more and younger generation of Internet users now have access to social-media platforms through smartphones.

Online marketplace appeal

RICARDO Forrester, crime analyst at USAID, in his presentation entitled, "A Snapshot of Illegal Online Wildlife Trade," said illegal online wildlife trade also happens "openly" on other social-media platforms.

Conducting a six-week snapshot of the illegal wildlife trade happening online, Forrester said an investigative report of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a global nonprofit organization that protects animals and their habitats, revealed that 33,006 listed Cites wildlife and wildlife parts are for sale online and that there are around 9,482 advertisements online, with an estimated value of $10,708,137 (about P563,355,087.57).

The investigation only covered 16 countries and most, or 56 percent, of all the wildlife parts and products and live animals in the investigation were found on Chinese websites. About 32 percent of advertisements on these websites advertised the sale of ivory or suspected ivory. Around 2,509 advertisements were for reptiles, including turtles and tortoises, the second-highest category next to ivory.

Online wildlife trade, Forrester said, is highly appealing, because of several factors.

"There is no risk of stores being visited by law enforcement; because it is online, you don't have to rent or open a store," he said. "Why also pay for rent when they don't need to?"

Traders also need not maintain records of their transactions, apparently avoiding taxes. Using aliases or fictitious accounts, these unscrupulous illegal wildlife traders avoid arrest.

Finally, the Internet allows them to have farther reach in the global markets, including expansion or having a new customer base in various parts of the world.

Social media appeal

OFTEN, advertisements in online marketplaces are also shared in social media, which even the younger generations are able to access.

What makes social-media use appealing is that unlike online marketplaces, traffickers do not pay sales fees, according to Forrester.

"Often, using closed groups, social media provide security in who you are dealing with," he said.

Another tricky part in the use of social media is that it works on a referral-based system.

Social media, Forrester added, have the ability to market illegal wildlife worldwide, with traders creating fake or anonymous profiles using "throwaway" e-mail addresses.

Despite being banned by social-media platforms and online marketplaces, illegal online wildlife trade remains largely unregulated and wildlife laws difficult to enforce.

Some illegal wildlife trade players, according to Forrester, are now migrating, slowly, using the Dark Web, for greater protection against wildlife law enforcers that are now developing their capacity to identify those behind fictitious accounts, their location or place of operation.

"The future of the trade may be the Dark Web, making it even more difficult to enforce or regulate," Forrester said.

But using the Dark Web has its disadvantage because of the fraud on advance fees happening and the shipment of products remains risky with law enforcers always on the lookout.

Enhancing police capacity

LAW enforcement agencies, according to Forrester, need to build individual and regional capacities to address the changing dynamics of online wildlife trade.

Salvatore Amato, who heads the law enforcement team of the Usaid Wildlife Asia, commented it is ironic that most governments in "range countries" where hunting of endangered animals is prohibited have no dedicated law enforcement units to go after wildlife criminals.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), with its 194 member-countries, is now stepping up to the challenge by helping enhance the capacity of various law enforcement agencies that seek its help, according to Marcos Mileo Brasil, criminal intelligence analyst of the Interpol Environmental Security-Project Leaf.

Brasil said that governments, upon request, will be provided technical training by Interpol to enhance their capacity to trace a suspect's location and, possibly, identity, leading to a possible arrest.

Thailand's initiatives

SOMKIAT Soontornpitakkool, director of the Division of Wild Fauna and Flora Protection, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation of Thailand, said there is an ongoing move in Thailand to amend existing laws and policies to regulate trade in wildlife and wildlife products and to intensify the campaign against illegal wildlife trade happening on the Internet.

In Thailand, 40 percent of the land areas are forested. Of that, 25 percent are protected areas while 15 percent are production areas.

There is no wildlife rescue center in Thailand but there are 25 breeding centers, where confiscated animals are kept temporarily.

According to Somkiat, there's no "take policy" for endemic animals, although imported pets are allowed.

Two laws or policies exist in Thailand, he said, one for protected areas and the other for animals outside the protected area.

"We will amend the law to regulate exotic species in Thailand," Somkiat said.

Through an interpreter, Thiradej Palasuwan, head of Thailand's Wildlife Protection Division and head of Forest Hawks special operation team, said amending existing laws and policies will boost the campaign against illegal wildlife trade, particularly in the pet trade.

In Thailand, where trading of certain wildlife or wildlife products happens, particularly those classified as "exotic," which are usually imported, law enforcers are having a hard time distinguishing legal from illegal transactions.

Also posting advertisements on Facebook pertaining to the sale of wildlife or wildlife is not against the law, thereby encouraging the buying and selling of wild-caught animals or their products.

"Those engaged in trading animals are getting younger and younger. As young as those who have [cellular phones] are now buying animals," Palasuwan said.

Thai breeding, rescue center

DURING a tour at the Bang Pra Waterbird Breeding Center in Chonburi Province on November 9, journalists were briefed of the extent of the problem on illegal wildlife trade.

One of 25 breeding centers, the Bang Pra Waterbird Breeding Center is where some of the confiscated species are being temporarily kept. Only native species that are healthy are being released back into the wild.

Established in 1992, the center collects and breed native species of waterbirds for conservation.

There were currently a total of 1,005 animals in the park, 68 percent or 683, are breeders, while the rest are confiscated. These include rare primates, exotic snakes, tortoise, lizards and birds.

Chayanid Prasanwong, the center's lone veterinarian, said the facility is also used to treat animals that are injured during transit.

Borderless crime

TRAFFICKING wildlife knows no borders today, no thanks to Internet technology as buyers and sellers from across the globe are now connected and are able to transact business clandestinely using fictitious social-media accounts.

Prasanwong said most animals brought in by authorities at the center were seized during an attempt to smuggle them out of Thailand.

Tortoise and lizards, particularly green Iguana, are being smuggled out of Thailand to countries like India.

On the other hand, exotic bird species from as far as Paraguay, Brazil and other countries in Central America, with some from Indonesia, have been confiscated.

"Even eggs are being smuggled in or out," Prasanwong said. "Some animals are so young, some are adult, but mostly they are in poor condition."

Most of the trafficked animals die while in transit, she said, and even those that survived and brought in at the centers eventually die, because of stress, citing the case of over 300 tortoises that were rescued years back. Very few of them managed to stay alive at the center's care.

According to Salvatore, an experienced wildlife law enforcer, illegal wildlife trade today has no known borders.

Even African elephant tusks and rhino horns reach China, Vietnam and Thailand.

Wildlife law enforcers, he suggests, should give more focus or attention on most traded wildlife and wildlife products that are on the brink of extinction to help save the species.

Some countries, like the Philippines, should not let their guard down because illegal wildlife traders often find ways to smuggle in and out highly expensive animals or animal products, dead or alive, according to experts.

PHL: IWT hub?

BUYING and selling of wild-caught or harvested plant and animals remain a problem in the Philippines despite the all-out war against illegal wildlife trade.

Through the Philippine Operations Group on Ivory (Pogi) and Illegal Wildlife Trade, also known as Task Force Pogi, the government was able to score big in terms of seizure of illegally traded wildlife and wildlife parts or products.

According to the DENR-BMB brochure titled "Addressing the Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Philippines," between 1996 and 2009, five tons of ivory elephant tusks were confiscated by authorities.

From 2000 to 2006, a total of 1,522 mynas and 652 blue-naped parrots were rescued.

In 2012 and 2013, authorities also scored big in the campaign against illegal trade of pangolins. A total of 95 kilos of pangolin scales and 36 kilos of pangolin meat equivalent to approximately 200 animals were seized in 2012 alone. The following year, 2,870 dead pangolins were seized. In 2014, a total of 354 marine turtles, dead and alive, were recovered. In 2015, a total of 4,300 freshwater turtles, 4,000 of which are the endemic Philippine forest turtles, were seized.

Between 2013 and 2017, 462 Indonesian endemic parrots were seized by authorities. In 2017, intensifying the campaign against illegal wildlife trade, 58 pangolins, 70 hawksbill turtles, 58 Goffin's cockatoos and nearly 1,000 endemic pitcher plants and Lady Slipper orchids were recovered.

This year, authorities rescued 106 Sulfur-crested cockatoos so far.

The document identified the most traded species in the Philippines namely Philippine forest turtles, Palawan pangolin, Hawksbill turtle, Blue-naped parrot, Southeast Asian box turtle, Hill mynah, Asian leaf turtle and Tockay gecko.

Based on confiscation data, major poaching sites in the Philippines are Coron, El Nido, Taytay, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Half Moon Shoal, Balabac Major Turtle Islands, Mapun, Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Aurora, Samar, Leyte and Bohol.

IWT road map

TO help curb illegal wildlife trade in the Philippines, the DENR recently completed the 10-year national Wildlife Law Enforcement Action Plan (WildLEAP) 2018-2028. The plan is alighted with the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and serves as the national road map to address wildlife crimes and guide to prioritizing enforcement activities.

WildLEAP focuses on stronger policies, networking and coordination, building capacity, communication, education and public awareness and improving governance and curbing corruption.

During the Forum on Combating Wildlife Trafficking held at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Center, in June this year, 11 law enforcement agencies and organizations expressed their support behind the plan.

They are the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica), National Bureau of Investigation-Environmental Crime Division, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Zoological Society of London-Philippines, Haribon Foundation; UNDP GEF Small Grants Program, Forest Foundation Philippines; Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Project, GIZ-Philippines; Conservation International-Philippines; US Embassy-Manila; and Conservation International.

High optimism

WHILE admitting more needs to be done to fight global illegal wildlife trade, DENR officials are optimistic.

DENR-BMB Wildlife Resource Chief and Task Force Pogi point-person Josefina de Leon said they are always on the lookout not only for those attempting to use the country's port as transit point of illegally traded elephant tusks but also rhino horns and products from tigers, pangolins and other critically endangered species listed under Cites and the "Red List of Threatened Species" of the Internal Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In fact, in January this year, the DENR-BMB sought custody of six rhino horns confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in 2016 to ensure that they are properly disposed of. Most of these confiscated items like elephant tusks are returned, if not destroyed, by the DENR-BMB to demonstrate its resolve against trade in wildlife and wildlife parts.

DENR-BMB Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez told the BusinessMirror that despite funding problems, fighting wildlife crimes is getting the much-needed boost from various law enforcement agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Funding for the campaign against illegal wildlife crime, she admits, comes from the DENR's regular budget and, except for Task Force Pogi, there are no law enforcement units dedicated to monitoring the Internet to curb the buying and selling of wildlife.

"Just last month, one of our law enforcers went to Bangkok for a training to enhance our capacity in combating online illegal wildlife trade," she said.

Rodriguez added the DENR-BMB scored big in October by causing the conviction of two wildlife traffickers.

"As far as fighting illegal wildlife trade is concerned, we are not lagging behind and we continue to enhance our capacity," she added.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said while the full force of the DENR is focused on Boracay and other tourism areas for the moment, illegal wildlife trade is on their radar.

Antiporda admitted that some buyers and sellers are cunningly using Facebook to hide their identities to avoid law enforcement in doing their illegal transaction.

He claims the DENR is now monitoring social media and has recently allowed a team to have special access to Facebook, to monitor suspicious transactions involving wild-caught plants or animal species and their byproducts.

"Before the end of the year, we will launch a big operation. Wait and see. We are just busy right now. To those involved in illegal wildlife trade, this is a fair warning," he said. "As long as you are in our country, as long as you are here in our territory, we can get to you. We will get you."

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Online illegal wildlife trade: Species extinction at Internet speed

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THE illegal wildlife trade is a major driver of biodiversity loss. In the Philippines, the problem of rampant buying and selling of wild-caught or harvested flora and fauna reflects a global concern especially in biodiversity-rich regions like Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa and Central America.

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SEIZED. Some of the Vietnamese can be seen standing on the heap of sharks and manta rays that were seized from their possession by the Philippine Navy. The photo was taken at the Tidepole in Parola on Tuesday (May 22, 2018). (Photo by Celeste Anna R. Formoso)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The 20 Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested by the Philippine Navy inside the country's territorial waters in Palawan for alleged illegal entry and poaching of 175 assorted species of sharks and manta rays were brought to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office (PPO) for inquest on Wednesday.

The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) charged the 20 Vietnamese fishermen working on board a Malaysian-registered fishing vessel with poaching.

Provincial Court Prosecutor Allen Ross Rodriguez said the inquest originally scheduled Tuesday afternoon did not push through as the PCSDS and the BFAR were unable to finish the documents before 5 p.m.

Rodriguez, who will investigate the poaching charges, said the PCSDS and BFAR have to thoroughly identify the species of the sharks and rays the Vietnamese fishers had on the Malaysian-registered fishing vessel to determine other cases.

He said the evidence and proof must be detailed for the prosecutor's office will depend on the documents that they will present.

"There's a need for technical details to determine what other possible charges can be filed against them. If the details are complete, we can make them our basis. They had to be seen by the court as they are evidence," he said.

The filing of illegal entry cases will be determined by the Provincial Committee on Illegal Entrants (PCIE), a special body created and task to handle foreign encroachment in Palawan waters, chaired by the commander of Western Command (Wescom) under Lt. Gen. Rozzano Briguez, he said.

As of this posting, no information has been received yet if the PCIE has already convened regarding the matter.

Meanwhile, Jovic Fabello, spokesperson of the PCSDS, said on Wednesday that the number of manta rays that were confiscated from two of three Vietnamese fishing vessels had already reached 160 and 15 sharks, as of latest inventory.

"The sharks and rays had been returned to the boat for storage because we don't have anywhere to put them. We are discussing if we have to bury them," he said.

The 20 Vietnamese fishermen were arrested on board Malaysian fishing vessels that were accosted by PC 375 of the Philippine Navy off Mangsee Island, Balabac, on Saturday. (PNA)

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20 Vietnamese fishers nabbed off Palawan charged with poaching

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PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The 20 Vietnamese fishermen who were arrested by the Philippine Navy inside the country's territorial waters in Palawan for alleged illegal entry and poaching of 175 assorted species of sharks and manta rays were brought to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office...

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Report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

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Image: FEU- Manila

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This photo was taken at Mt. Baco-Iglit National Park, a protected landscape in Mindoro Island, the Philippines. This area is the habitat of the Philippine and Mindoro endemic Bubalus mindorensis (tamaraw). Historical records suggest that the tamaraw can be found throughout the island even at sea level; however, due to increasing human population, habitat degradation (e.g., conversion of forests to agricultural lands, illegal logging), and poaching has caused the decline in the population of the tamaraw and is now declared as Critically Endangered.

Image: Jayson G. Chavez

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Causes of Habitat Loss, Fragmentation and Degradation in the Philippines and Its Consequences

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Causes of Habitat Loss, Fragmentation and Degradation in the Philippines and Its Consequences

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"For losing biodiversity, a country such as the Philippines stands to suffer grave consequences from a socio-economic perspective, just as well as it does in natural and scientific terms. Apart from the outright loss of life, it would also be a shame for the Philippines – a country that is still on the path towards development – to lose the distinction of being one of the most biologically and ecologically resource-rich countries in the world. Worse yet, the Philippines may also risk gaining the reputation of having lost the greatest amount of biodiversity in record time, considering the concentration of distinct species within its relatively small territory." - Foundation for the Philippine Environment

Human population is the primary agent for the loss of of natural habitats and biodiversity in the Philippines. Deforestation of landscapes  (viz. denudation and fragmentation) negatively impacts Philippine biodiversity on an exponential scale. Poorly controlled logging and mining activities have created mostly irreparable damage to forest cover, affecting the diverse assemblages of flora and fauna that inhabit forested landscapes.  Also,  deliberate cause of biodiversity loss is the participation in the extraction and exploitation of natural resources, including wildlife itself, for economic purposes.

The greatest/worst consequence of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation in the Philippines is the decline of species population/diversity or even species extinction. We must remember that biodiversity is like a tapestry, that when you pull out a single strand it will have a drastic effect to everything.

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Terrestrial

Sub-alpine forest

Mossy forest

Montane forest (upper and lower)

Pine forest

Semi-deciduous forest (moist deciduous)

Lowland evergreen forest

Forest over limestone (karst)

Forest over ultrabasic soil

Forest over ultramafic rocks

Grassland (upland and lowland)

Beach forest

Cave systems*

*special type

Freshwater

Lacustrine: Lakes and ponds

Riverine: rivers, streams, creeks

Palustrine: marshes

Brackish/Estuarine

Mangrove swamp

Nipa swamp

Marine

Mudflats

Seagrass belts

Coral reefs