Wild birds in Lanao’s Panguil Bay monitored

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte — The provincial environment and natural resources office (PENRO) is closely monitoring migratory birds which are stopping over in Panguil Bay on their way to marshlands and mangrove areas in Northern Mindanao.

PENRO head Ben Ali Decampong told The STAR that large mangrove forests in Lanao del Norte are found in the coastal towns of Lala, Kapatagan, Mukas and Kolambugan.

Although there are still no reported bird flu cases in the country, regional officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are not letting their guard down, directing all PENROs to keep an eye on migratory birds which might carry the avian flu virus, Decampong said.

He urged the public not to catch and eat migratory birds in mangrove areas and marshlands to prevent being infected by the dreaded virus.

Lanao del Norte has an estimated 100,000 hectares of mangrove forests in Kapatagan, Lala and Kolambugan towns which face Panguil Bay, and in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town which faces Illana Bay and Moro Gulf.

Some migratory birds also seek refuge in the mangrove forests of Aurora and Tambulig, both in Zamboanga del Sur.

Other coastal towns being monitored are Alubijid and Opol, both in Misamis Oriental.