WILDLIFE RESCUE AND RETRIEVAL HOTLINES

WILDLIFE RESCUE AND RETRIEVAL HOTLINES How many people know that the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) actually has a hotline for wildlife rescue and retrieval? It would be good for everyone to know this number (09129092310), so that they could call the BMB whenever wildlife needs to be rescued or retrieved. The same number could also be contacted via Viber. Other than the ordinary people like us, I think that the officers and staff of the LGUs should know this number, especially those in the uniformed services such as their policemen, firemen and barangay guards. To that, they should include the local disaster risk reduction management teams. And for those who have forgotten, BMB used to be known as the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), and it is still under the DENR like before. Most of us are aware of the need to protect the Philippine Eagle (monkey eating eagle) and the Tamaraw, but we should also know that there are hundreds of other native and endemic wildlife that also need our protection, even if they are not so popular. Native species are those that evolved within our country but could also be found elsewhere. Endemic species are those that could only be found in our country. For example, the Philippine Warty Pig is an endemic species that is still heavily hunted up to now. Some might argue that it is only a pig, but I will also argue that it is part of our patrimony, therefore we should protect it. IKE SENERES/03-23-2024