Cebu City Zoo compound still open: Animals moved to nature park

CEBU, Philippines - It was like bidding goodbye to family and the farewell wasn’t easy for Vicente Ontong who took care of the animals at the Cebu City Zoo for at least 10 years.

“Deep inside, sakit gyod…. dili kalikayan nga mohilak gyod. Sige nako’g hilak atubangan sa akong asawa gabii… sakit gyod kaayo,” he told The Freeman yesterday, as the animals were being moved out of the zoo.

The animals, 77 of them, were transported to the Dreamland Nature and Adventure Park in Amlan, Negros Oriental.

“Tungod sa akong kaguol, nangita gyod ko’g advice gikan sa kauban pod nako sa Christian Life Seminar ug giingnan ko nila nga mas ma ampingan ang mga hayop didto’s Amlan kay duna sila'y dako nga area didto, ug mas naa sila'y knowledge sa mga hayop,” Ontong said.

The Cebu City Zoo has been operational since 1967 but recently, the Department of Agriculture Regulatory Division and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources found it has not conformed to the Animal Welfare Act.

The agencies then recommended that the animals be transferred to a "better" facility.

The land where the zoo stands is also subject of a land swap deal between the city and the provincial government.

Transfer

Last March 28, DENR has issued the local transport permit of wildlife authorizing the Municipality of Amlan to transport the animals that are under a loan agreement with the department.

The loan agreement was signed by DENR Regional Director Emma Melana and Amlan Mayor Gino Dela Cruz last March 30.

Under the agreement, the Amlan government will give written reports to DENR on the status of the loaned animals.

Yesterday, DENR-7 Enforcement Division chief Ariel Rica said five personnel of the division accompanied the convoy from Cebu City to Amlan town.

Animals were placed in boxes and wooden crates. The animals transported included Palm Civet Cats, Sugar Gliders, Saltwater Crocodiles, Red-eared Slider, Asian Box Turtles, a Celebes Black Ape, Malay Civet Cat, and a 67-year-old Philippine Crocodile with the name of Mariano, the oldest among the animals.

City veterinarian Alice Utlang said it was as if the animals resisted the transfer.

“Naa gyo'y resistance ang ubang hayop kay maka-feel man gud na sila sa ilang surroundings. Bright gyod ning mga hayop ug nakabantay sila nga ibalhin sila maong dugay gyod nasulod sa crates ang uban like ni Mariano ug katong mga civet cats,” she said.

Mummified reptiles and Apes were also transported.

Utlang said she requested personnel from the Mobile Patrol Group to lead the convoy until Minglanilla town in the south, considering the traffic situation in the area.

“Beneficial gyod sa part sa atong animals nga mabalhin didto kay maayo ang lugar ug giingnan napod ta nga dili na gyod suitable ilang pag-stay dinhi,” she said.

It was the Amlan government that offered to take care of the animals.

The zoo earned at least P200,000 a year but Dr. Pilar Romero who used to supervise the zoo personnel said this amount is not enough to maintain the facility.

“Dili pa gani na enough to run the facility. Apil pa ang pakaon sa mga animals, salaries sa personnel, ug ang electricity and other utilities,” she said.

Even without the animals, the zoo compound would still be open to the public, still at P20 for the entrance, for family picnics and other activities.

“They told me nga the area will still be a zoological and botanical garden sa province kay kun mausab gani, ingon ang taga Boy Scout (of the Philippines) nga nag-donate sa yuta nga ilang kuhaon kun naay laing development sa area,” Romero said.

Assurance

Romero who was also emotional yesterday said she would have wanted to accompany the animals to Negros so she could also check the facility but her doctor prevented her from travelling.

For his part, and with tears still in his eyes, Ontong only has one request – that the animals be taken cared of well, something that the Matthew Selorio, general manager of Amlan Dreamland Adventure and Nature Park, assured they will do. —/JMO (FREEMAN)