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 the first successful reptile conservation story in the country
Vasay, BASCO, Batanes - Fifteen months after they were to be smuggled to Malaysia,
12 snakes that exist only in these islands returned home here by airplane Tuesday (June 19) morning.
The reptiles, known as Batanes pit vipers (Trimeresurus mcgregori) belonged to the threatened and very rare snake species in the Philippines. It is endemic to the Batanes Group of Islands, specifically in the Batan (mainland Batanes or Vatan) and Sabtang islands.
George Reyes, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer, said the 12 snakes are part of the 129 individuals of various species of reptiles confiscated by a joint team of the DENR-National Capital Region's Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit, Bureau of Customs and other airport authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last March 16, 2006.
Steven Toledo of the DENR, Protected Area Wildlife Bureau, who led authorities in bringing home the reptiles said they were intended for exportation to Sungai Zoo in Penang, Malaysia via a Thai Airways plane.
"Timely detection of the illegal shipment, prompted airport authorities to intervene", Toledo said.
Mario Lutz, a German national, who owns and operate Herpa World, Inc., a pioneering farm for snakes and other reptiles in the country in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, took care of the snakes from the time they were intercepted until they arrived here.
Lutz said from the original 53 confiscated vipers, only 13 survived in captivity, including the 12 heads released Tuesday morning in the wilderness at the foot of the majestic Mt. Iraya.
The remaining one head of snake will be continuously placed under treatment and rehabilitation under Lutz's watchful eye. It will eventually be released here as soon as its condition stabilizes.
Out-going Gov. Vicente Gato, laments the shipment of the snakes from here despite the province's being a protected area. He, however, assured the DENR personnel and Lutz that this will never happen again.
"We have better trained inspectors at the airport and with several volunteer groups monitoring our wildlife, it would be almost impossible for snakes and other endangered species to escape from detection", Gato said. |
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