The Philippines, through Haribon Foundation, the Department of Energy and Natural Resources and other environmental organizations, recently joined the 50th International Waterbird Census. They went to different parts in the country to count waterbirds, as bird-watching season is still very much on.
One of the last counts happened on Jan 20, at the Freedom Island, part of the Las Piñas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Eco-tourism Area (LPPCHEA) to count birds.
And what they came home with is rather alarming: Over all, the number of birds only clocked in at 1,554, down from the 5,000-count of 2004, 12 years ago.
The number of waterbirds is important because it shows the current state and health of any given location. It enables local policy makers and stakeholders to make informed decisions about a given area depending on this data.
While low tide may have been a factor to the low count of waterbirds this year, according to Rey Aguinaldo, Project Manager of LPPCHEA to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAF), this “might be due to the reclamation activities and prolific development in the area.”
Just north of LPPCHEA, a $2-billion construction project is underway. According to Casino News Daily, Manila Bay Resorts will be the third of four integrated resorts to be launched in “a multimillion gambling and entertainment complex intended to turn into Asia’s next gambling Mecca…”
Aguinaldo also noted of the vast abundance of plastic, garbage and other debris that can be found on the shores of LPPCHEA threaten the habitat, its birds and the residents living in the area.
LPPCHEA is a 175-hectare zone which includes a mangrove forest, tidal mudflats, secluded ponds with fringing salt-tolerant vegetation, a coastal lagoon, and estuarine forest which serves as a wall protecting the coastal areas of Las Piñas and Parañaque from devastating storm surges and flooding.
There were about 28 participants in the Jan 20 bird-watching session. After four hours of intense observance, the Haribon group spotted 13 different bird species, or half of the total species number that the bigger collective saw that day.
Coconuts Manila is a partner of Haribon Foundation for its bird-watching season activites. Call Haribon +63 2 4211213 for any inquiries.
