After Cebu Zoo inventory: DA: Move animals to “better facility”

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture-7 Regulatory Division has recommended transferring the animals inside the Cebu Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Office, formerly known as the Cebu City Zoo, to a “better facility.”

This was the recommendation of DA-7 Regulatory Division Animal Welfare officer Raul Migriño after the joint inventory of all animals inside the zoo yesterday together with officials of Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 and Cebu City government.

“If we talk about animal welfare, halos tanan wala maka-conform sa animal welfare,” he said. 

Migriño said he did not see how the animals were being fed by zoo keepers or caretakers so he could not tell if they followed the Animal Welfare Act in this regard.

However, he said one thing is certain: the animals are not in a good situation.

DENR zoology technician Rainier Manlegro said the department will get the endemic and indigenous animals.

“Actually, ang purpose sa rehabilitation is to catch and release, rescue and release.... If matan-aw nato nga pwede na ma-release, that would be the time nga ato i-release. Tan-aw nato sa wildlife diri is they are healthy so kung indigenous, endemic, ato i-release. Kung exotic, di g’yud ma release,” he said.

Endemic and indigenous animals include serpent eagles, monitor lizards, saltwater and fresh water crocodiles, and box turtles, among others.

Manlegro said a “better facility” is located in Amlan, Negros Oriental.

Officials of the local government there are asking Mayor Tomas Osmeña to donate the animals to them since the mayor is eyeing to close the zoo because it is subject to a land swap deal with Cebu Province.

City Veterinarian Alice Utlang, who manages the zoo now, said she prefers to transfer the animals to a better facility even if the city and the province will not push through with the land swap deal to resolve Provincial Ordinance 93-1.

She said Amlan has a well-equipped facility, which means that it has the capability to take care of the animals.

Manlegro also noted that two Burmese pythons are not in the zoo anymore. Utlang said the zoo’s former manager Giovanni Romarate asked to get the two pythons and a peacock. Utlang said she was told that Romarate was afraid the pythons will not be well taken care of.

Manlegro said the pythons and the peacock were not included in the registration cited by DENR’s Certificate of Wildlife Registration of the facility.

"So it was claimed it was turned over or donated to the Cebu City Government or Cebu City Zoo. Unya we are asking for turn over receipts kung naa bay turn over sa past zoo manager ug karon kung naa bay ikahatag nga turn over receipts kung aha gikan. Kung naa man gani na out, mangayo pud mi ug deed ug donation kung gi-donate sa lain tawo," he said.

Yesterday, Utlang said all seven species of domestic animals were not included in the inventory since the city will disperse these animals to farmers accredited under the City Agriculture Department.

“First himuon sa zoo is tanang domestic animals will be out kay di man siya masud sa wildlife conservation center kay di man wild. We commission or ask the city agri nga maoy mo-facilitate sa pag disperse sa animals manok, rabbit, turkey, itik, kanding, karnero, ug iro ato to ihatag,” she said. (FREEMAN)