Pit viper found in Palawan protected area
Published May 15, 2020 12:00 am
By Aira Genesa Magdayao
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan - A highly venomous pit viper (Tropidolaemus subannulatus) found by park rangers at the Biodiversity Assessment Monitoring System (BAMS) site of El Nido -Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (ENTMRPA) in Barangay Maligaya, El Nido town early this week.
Bret Heart Sanogal VIA Cenro Taytay El Nido / MANILA BULLETIN
ENTMRPA Protected Area Superintendent Mildred Suza told Manila Bulletin Wednesday that park rangers were conducting camera trap retrieval in the forest when they found the snake.
Suza said that camera traps were installed in mountainous areas of El Nido earlier in February this year to assess species population as indicators of conservation effectiveness.
The project is in partnership with Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Protect Wildlife Project and in coordination with the Local Government Unit of El Nido.
“Nagco-conduct sila ng assessment at retrieval ng mga camera traps sa gubat na in-install noong February para malaman ang iba't-ibang wildlife na nandito sa ating kagubatan. Noong nakita nila itong pit viper na natutulog sa gubat, isa ito sa venomous na snake,” Suza said.
She said that based on initial study the snake could be found in the forest of northern part of Palawan, part of Balabac town and other areas of Palawan.
“Base doon sa mga published na pag-aaral ay sa northern Palawan at Balabac lang ito makikita. Kapag endemic species kasi ay may particular areas lang na nandoon sila matatagpuan. Medyo hindi kasi napa-prioritize sa mga studies ang pit viper kaya wala tayong data ng population nito” Suza said.
She said that there were already reports of pit viper sightings in the past years.
"Dati may mga nakikita na, may mga sightings na ng pit viper dito. Ngayon nakita mismo nila, ito 'yong triangle ang ulo na ahas at venomous," Suza said.
In addition, she also encouraged herpetologists to join them in the research for reptiles and amphibians in ENTMRPA.
“We encourage them to conduct research particularly the herpetologists and other researchers from the academe to study sa mga species na mayron tayo, we need them,” Suza said.
She also remind the public to help in conservation of the flora and fauna, including the marine animals which perform vital role in the ecosystem.
Suza said that Palawan has rich biodiversity and every species have important role to maintain balance in the ecosystem.
She said that people have a responsibility to protect and conserve the environment, especially in Palawan being a last frontier of the Philippines.
“Sa ating mga kababayan kapag may nakita po tayong mga ahas o anumang wildlife ay ‘wag natin patayin o saktan kasi umaatake lang naman sila kapag na-threathen o naramdaman nila ang panganib. Sila ay parte ng ating biodiversity, ng ating ecosystem. Kaya patuloy ang aming kampanya sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon tungkol sa biodiversity conservation and protection, isinasagawa namin ito sa mga paaralan at komunidad para maging katuwang natin sila sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan”, Suza said.
Bret Heart Sanogal VIA Cenro Taytay El Nido / MANILA BULLETIN
ENTMRPA Protected Area Superintendent Mildred Suza told Manila Bulletin Wednesday that park rangers were conducting camera trap retrieval in the forest when they found the snake.
Suza said that camera traps were installed in mountainous areas of El Nido earlier in February this year to assess species population as indicators of conservation effectiveness.
The project is in partnership with Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Protect Wildlife Project and in coordination with the Local Government Unit of El Nido.
“Nagco-conduct sila ng assessment at retrieval ng mga camera traps sa gubat na in-install noong February para malaman ang iba't-ibang wildlife na nandito sa ating kagubatan. Noong nakita nila itong pit viper na natutulog sa gubat, isa ito sa venomous na snake,” Suza said.
She said that based on initial study the snake could be found in the forest of northern part of Palawan, part of Balabac town and other areas of Palawan.
“Base doon sa mga published na pag-aaral ay sa northern Palawan at Balabac lang ito makikita. Kapag endemic species kasi ay may particular areas lang na nandoon sila matatagpuan. Medyo hindi kasi napa-prioritize sa mga studies ang pit viper kaya wala tayong data ng population nito” Suza said.
She said that there were already reports of pit viper sightings in the past years.
"Dati may mga nakikita na, may mga sightings na ng pit viper dito. Ngayon nakita mismo nila, ito 'yong triangle ang ulo na ahas at venomous," Suza said.
In addition, she also encouraged herpetologists to join them in the research for reptiles and amphibians in ENTMRPA.
“We encourage them to conduct research particularly the herpetologists and other researchers from the academe to study sa mga species na mayron tayo, we need them,” Suza said.
She also remind the public to help in conservation of the flora and fauna, including the marine animals which perform vital role in the ecosystem.
Suza said that Palawan has rich biodiversity and every species have important role to maintain balance in the ecosystem.
She said that people have a responsibility to protect and conserve the environment, especially in Palawan being a last frontier of the Philippines.
“Sa ating mga kababayan kapag may nakita po tayong mga ahas o anumang wildlife ay ‘wag natin patayin o saktan kasi umaatake lang naman sila kapag na-threathen o naramdaman nila ang panganib. Sila ay parte ng ating biodiversity, ng ating ecosystem. Kaya patuloy ang aming kampanya sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon tungkol sa biodiversity conservation and protection, isinasagawa namin ito sa mga paaralan at komunidad para maging katuwang natin sila sa pangangalaga ng kalikasan”, Suza said.