Sleeping with the animals
August 7, 2005 | 12:00am
The full moon beamed gloriously as a cool breeze spread the fragrance of the tropical rainforest. Hundreds of birds fluttered their wings in orchestrated harmony. The drama and mystery of the landscaped jungle unfolded as nocturnal fruit bats and flying foxes chiseled their wings, gigantic arapaimas leaped out of the water to catch insects in flight, and the incessant hooting of owls reverberated in the silhouetted skyline. In this unique night safari, our adventurous group enjoyed a riotous pajama party as we slept with the animals at the fabulous 7.6- hectare Avilon Zoo in nearby Montalban, Rizal.
"Did you know that over 90 percent of animals are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night and behave completely different from their daytime cousins?" enthused Jake and Teena Gaw, gracious keepers of this enthralling paradise. Yes, there’s always something magical about the night itself and being up when the rest of the world is preparing for slumber. As evening calls, with all the six senses magnified, you’ll be surprised at what you may inevitably see.
This is nirvana, we declared, agreeing to the purpose and mission of the zoological garden cum resort: To be a world-class leisure attraction featuring a variety of animals for the purpose of recreation, education and conservation. This sanctuary, aptly called Avilon Zoological Park, is home to many animal species assembled from all over the globe. It is set against a remarkable showcase of trees, plants, exotic ferns, and palms. In comparison, the Night Safari in Singapore covers 40 hectares with 120 species of 1,200 nocturnal creatures, while the Avilon Zoo only houses close to 500 species of some 3,500 daytime and nocturnal animals, mostly endemic to the Philippines.
Lately, Jake has been focused on bringing in larger animals like hippopotamuses, camels, elephants and zebras from Sri Lanka, Africa and Asia.
It is tempting to compare Avilon to Noah’s Ark, where pairs of creatures were preserved from destruction, especially if passes over the river spillway to get here. Nevertheless, the convivial atmosphere at Avilon Zoo is a toast to the celebration of life as epitomized by Teena and Jake, our modern-day Tarzan and Jane.
The affable Gaws shared their beginnings as passionate keepers of lions and birds in Jake’s ancestral home in White Plains, Quezon City. Thanks to a complaint filed by their neighbors, which they consider a blessing in disguise, they purchased the land in Montalban, Rizal where Avilon Zoo is now located. Currently run by the Avilon Wildlife Conservation Foundation, the Gaws are at the helm of its trustees.
From Manila, we drove for an hour to Avilon and checked in the private fully-furnished air-conditioned bungalow of the Gaws. The cozy lodging was stocked with all kinds of chips, candy, ice cream, brazo de mercedes, homemade carrot cake and sans rival for our snacks.
A romantic candlelit dinner was set by the lake where graceful swans glide. After a hearty dinner of lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork, beef with tausi, yang chow fried rice, and buchi prepared by their in-house Chinese cook, we showered and slipped into our pajamas. Teena handed each one of us an AC Delco flashlight, which doesn’t need batteries and lasts a lifetime. Just shake the high-tech flashlight and eureka, you have everlasting light to walk through the amazing zoo.
Whichever route you wish to take, you will admire the dramatically changing terrain reflective of the animals’ natural habitats. STAR Allure’s Bum Tenorio led the gang to study the nocturnal behavior of the insects, especially the fruit bats, owls and small mammals, like the marsupials. We learned that red lights have to be utilized in their caves to change the night to day and vice-versa for such creatures of habit.
Our friend Carlos Webb, who is a deadringer for Ace Ventura, acted like the pet detective as he fed termites to the anteater, mice to the snakes, and chicken heads to the lions. Vernon Prieto was enamored by the dozen ostriches that fall in line before they sleep (seated down), though the flamingos prefer to sleep standing on one of their thin long legs. As Katrina Holigores and Armand Padilla were photographing the animals in their nocturnal glory, Carlos teased everybody that he saw a snake slithering in the grass and that was enough to make everyone race back to our sleeping quarters where we continued our cake and ice cream pajama party.
We were awakened at sunrise to the sound of a drum-beating gong in the rainforest that Teena explained was the sound of the emu, the second largest flightless bird next to the ostrich. We all joined the zookeepers in feeding the Egyptian geese and American mallards their early morning snack of assorted bread. While our buffet breakfast of garlic rice, tocino, tapa, pancakes, and fresh juice was being prepared, Jake accompanied us to the pond to harvest fresh duck eggs, which the chef gladly scrambled for us. Then, we hopped on the wooden boats to feed bangus and chicken heads to the giant arapaimas (around 400 of them in Avilon) that would jump out of the water a la Jaws to grab their meal. What an exhilarating experience!
As we toured the spectacular haven, we each chose our favorite pet peeve. We learned that the 15-foot saltwater crocodile used to belong to Running Priest Fr. Robert Reyes before it grew too enormous for him to care for. The Sumatran tiger also had a previous owner before it was turned over to the zoo. They named her Ruffa as she arrived during the wedding of the popular celebrity. The capybara, the world’s largest rodent that looks like a large guinea pig, and the Malayan tapir, a shy gentle creature related to the rhinoceros, are highlights of the zoo. Another crowd drawer is the huge flightless bird called the cassowary, a strange-looking bird with a bright blue bald neck and jet-black feathers that resemble strands of metal wire and topped with a bald head. What a treat to be able to experience such exotic animals without even having to leave our beloved country. Naturally, the Avilon Zoo also serves as an important conservation center for the breeding of rare and endangered species, especially Philippine species.
The Gaws have many plans in progress aside from more animal exhibits, like an aquarium and the bugs’ world. A chapel is currently being constructed, and plans for a future bed and breakfast is in the works. A great safari adventure always whips up a hearty appetite. At Avilon Zoo, kiosks offer a variety of food and snacks you could choose from, like pizzas, barbecue rice meals, hot dogs, chips, and ice cream. After an energizing meal, you can stroll through the souvenir shops and choose from the amusing items on display. Or better still, if you are qualified enough to care for a baby lion, tiger cub or even an eight-foot arapaima, you may bring them home with you for posterity.
If you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan life, hie off to scenic Montalban in Rizal. For the young ones and young once, a visit to Avilon Zoo is guaranteed to be an enchanting surprise to tickle their animal fancy!
For group reservations, call Pacer Travel at 521-8884 and 521-8880 or e-mail pacer_travel@yahoo.com.
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