ORANGE COCKATOOS
by Wally Van
Sickle
Stubby, stout wings lift the Philippine cockatoos Cacatua
haematuropygia off a rice field late in the day. They make their
way east, away from the setting sun towards the shoreline lined
with palm trees. Small groups gather in flight. Preparing for
their nightly activities, they fearlessly head out over the open
water and noisily fly past the fishing boats.
As the birds approach, the orange sunlight paints a special glow
on Rasa Island (20 km2 in size). A few of the birds stop to rest
in larger trees and inspect cavities that could serve as nest
structures. Others cavort through the canopy stopping from time
to time to express their presence. From a distance only white
flashing specks can be seen against the backdrop of an
orange-tinted jungle.
Most of the cockatoos head toward the far eastern edge of Rasa
Island where the biggest trees reside and there is the least
amount of human disturbance. Once they arrive, they will select
their favorite roosting branch and spend the evening safe from
the dangers of the mainland.
When morning comes, they will once again travel over the sea to
the big island of Palawan where they will spend the day
foraging. Their estimated population in the wild is less than
1000 animals.
ROLITO DUMALAG
Rolito Dumalag sprawled out a map in front of us. We were on the
island of Palawan in the Philippines and about to embark on a
small boat with two outriggers and a very noisy engine. We were
headed a few kilometers offshore to a very small island called
Rasa. The core of the island was covered with coastal forest and
the fringes were a dense maze of mangroves. Rolito looked and
acted very much like a university professor with his teaching
style and small round glasses, but his smile and passion for
working outdoors were clues to the more adventurous side of his
spirit.
Within a half hour, we reached Rasa and transferred onto two
smaller boats not much bigger than kayaks. The water was only a
foot deep as we passed over starfish, sea urchins, sea
cucumbers, and a host of other marine invertebrates and coral.
Eventually, we were in a small channel leading through the
mangroves to the core of the island. We left the boats at one
point and trudged through the mud onto dry land and finally
arrived at a small thatched hut. Six men sat near a smoky fire.
These were all that stood between the cockatoo poachers and the cockatoos.
Rolito and staff from the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation
Program (PCCP) were training and paying the men as wardens to
guard the trees with the nesting cockatoos. Thirteen pairs
nested on the island the previous year. Approximately 80
cockatoos roost on Rasa each night. Monthly counts indicate the
population of cockatoos has doubled since the project's
initiation.
We shook hands with the wardens and thanked them for their work.
Rolito gave them updated instructions and we made our way back
to the boats. To our great delight, as we passed through the
mangroves we watched a pair of cockatoos inspect a cavity in a
large tree. White crests were raised as the pair postured and
jumped about making sure it was a suitable place to raise the
next generation.
HOW IDEA WILD MADE A DIFFERENCE
Rolito is an extremely creative educator. He not only
illustrates a good portion of the educational material used by
the PCCP, but has also designed the entire PCCP Education Center
building. This building was recently completed (see illustration
to the side) on Dumaran Island where another 20 Philippine cockatoos
roost in the evening. Rolito’s artwork is so exceptional it has
been featured in numerous books about the environment.
Rolito asked IDEA WILD for binoculars, mist nets, and a global
positioning system to be used for ongoing PCCP research. In
March of 2004, during an IDEA WILD presentation in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan, we awarded him with this equipment in front
of a crowd of over 60 conservation biologists and educators.
No doubt, Rolito is one of the “Heroes of the Planet” and it was
an honor to spend time visiting his project and providing
equipment for the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program.
Project Cost: $903
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