15 endangered golden bats rescued in N. Vizcaya

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Government environmentalists freed yesteday six of 15 critically endangered golden fruit bats which were confiscated from market vendors here on Monday.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional executive director Antonio Principe, who personally supervised the release of the bats, said the cat-sized bat is classified as one of the world’s critically endangered wildlife.

The six bats were freed in the forest of Kasibu town, some 60 km from here.

The bats were confiscated from market vendors in Bambang town who were selling them for P250 per head.

Nine of the confiscated bats later died. Principe said the bats are endemic to the forests of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya.

Provincial environment and natural resources officer Roberto Apigo said the bats were placed in bamboo cages when his men confiscated them.

Named as golden fruit bats because of the golden fur around their neck, such species are very rare ones and classified as critically endangered, Apigo said.

He said his men also seized 42 heads of native turtles from Violeta Salcedo, a market vendor here, during the operation in Bambang.

Unlike the bats, however, the confiscated turtle specie was classified only as ‘vulnerable’ specie, he said.

Principe, along with DENR personnel here, released the turtles within the protected area of the Magat River here.

He said under the Philippine Environmental Laws, particularly, Republic Act 9147 (Wild Life Act), hunting, selling, concealing and transporting of wildlife such as the freed bats and turtles are strictly prohibited.

Any violator of the law, he said, suffers imprisonment of 2 to 3 years or a fine of at least P300,000 or both, depending on the gravity of the offense.

Salcedo, who owns the confiscated wildlife, said bats and turtles were sold here like hot cakes because of its exotic taste and medicinal value.

At least 400 heads of bats of different species, including the very rare golden fruit bats were transported and sold here a week, another bat vendor in Bambang said.

For drinkers, she said, the bats and turtles are favorite delicacies, especially as appetizers (pulutan). Turtles, in addition, she said are an effective cure for asthma.

"The bats are being sold here at P125 to P250 piece while the turtles ranges from P55.00 to P110.00, depending on their size," Salcedo said, adding she not aware that the bats, especially those with golden furs are endangered ones and prohibited from being commercially sold.

Principe said he has already issued a directive to all DENR offices here to intensify their campaign against ‘commercializing’ the bats and turtles and other similar endangered wildlife species.

Principe also advised restaurant owners and other similar establishments in the region to refrain from serving exotic foods or suffer closure of their business.

Principe’s order was an offshoot of DENR Secretary Elizea Gozun’s Oct. 15 directive banning the selling of wildlife species in the country.

"Many people are not aware that there are about 418 or 72% of these Philippine Wildlife species of both plants and animals out of 584 are threatened with extinction," Gozun said in her memorandum.

Principe said the golden bats are one of those critically endangered wildlife species. – Charlie C. Lagasca