Tabuk marine park and bird sanctuary in Palompon
PALOMPON, Leyte -- The Tabuk Marine Park and Bird Sanctuary here remains safe for tourists despite the bird flu scare. This was the assurance made by Horeem Urboda, head of the Human and Ecological Security Commission, who said that the municipal government is closely monitoring the 222-hectare sanctuary.
Urboda pointed out that there has been no reported deaths nor unusual movements of migratory birds since the formation of a special task force on the Avian Influenza on November ’05. The Philippines is along the Southeast Asia-Australia flyway used by birds from the Northern Hemisphere. These birds from Siberia migrate to Asia in September then return home by March. Urboda said the sanctuary continues to be visited by students, environmentalists and other government employees on study tours.
Among the bird species that can be seen in the islets are Philippine mallards or wild ducks, Asiatic Dowitcher, Chinese Swinhoe’s Egret, etc. Urboda also informed that there has been no reported deaths of domestic fowl in the town, even from the large and medium scale poultry farms in the upland barangays of Tambis and Lat-osan, some 10 kilometers from the poblacion. The sanctuary, on the other hand, is located some 300 meters across the mainland.
Dr. Laarni Cabantac, asst. coordinator of the National Avian Influenza Task Force, told participants of a seminar workshop in Cebu this week that migratory birds are the usual natural carriers of the virus that can affect the country’s poultry industry. But she also clarified that there are other modes of transmission like the importation of wild birds and unsanitary poultry farms.
Tabuk was declared as a marine park and bird sanctuary in 1995 through an ordinance enacted by the municipal government. After it was adjudged as 1997 Galing Pook Awardee, the sanctuary was declared as an eco-destination. Amenities were constructed, and tour package has been organized that includes, bird watching, trip to bat kingdom, marine safari, trip to mallards lair, scuba diving and snorkeling.
Urboda pointed out that there has been no reported deaths nor unusual movements of migratory birds since the formation of a special task force on the Avian Influenza on November ’05. The Philippines is along the Southeast Asia-Australia flyway used by birds from the Northern Hemisphere. These birds from Siberia migrate to Asia in September then return home by March. Urboda said the sanctuary continues to be visited by students, environmentalists and other government employees on study tours.
Among the bird species that can be seen in the islets are Philippine mallards or wild ducks, Asiatic Dowitcher, Chinese Swinhoe’s Egret, etc. Urboda also informed that there has been no reported deaths of domestic fowl in the town, even from the large and medium scale poultry farms in the upland barangays of Tambis and Lat-osan, some 10 kilometers from the poblacion. The sanctuary, on the other hand, is located some 300 meters across the mainland.
Dr. Laarni Cabantac, asst. coordinator of the National Avian Influenza Task Force, told participants of a seminar workshop in Cebu this week that migratory birds are the usual natural carriers of the virus that can affect the country’s poultry industry. But she also clarified that there are other modes of transmission like the importation of wild birds and unsanitary poultry farms.
Tabuk was declared as a marine park and bird sanctuary in 1995 through an ordinance enacted by the municipal government. After it was adjudged as 1997 Galing Pook Awardee, the sanctuary was declared as an eco-destination. Amenities were constructed, and tour package has been organized that includes, bird watching, trip to bat kingdom, marine safari, trip to mallards lair, scuba diving and snorkeling.
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