BACOLOD CITY — The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) in Negros Occidental released on Friday 16 rescued wildlife species to mark the World Wildlife Day this March 3.
Animals released included 11 reticulated pythons, two grass owls, two monitor lizards, and a Philippine sailfin lizard.
According to the Penro-Negros Occidental, the release was done in Talisay City together with the personnel of Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in the cities of Bago and Kabankalan.
After the rescue, these species are put in the temporary shelter of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and once declared fit for release by a veterinarian, they are returned to their natural home.
The DENR has underscored the importance of releasing wildlife back to the wilds after their captivity to allow the animals regain their natural instinct of living and hunting on their own.
This year’s World Wildlife Day observance is themed “Big Cats: Predators Under Threat.”
The World Wildlife Day is celebrated every March 3 to commemorate the day the landmark Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted in 1973.
The annual celebration, which started in 2014 following the declaration by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 20, 2013, aims to raise awareness of endangered animal and plant species, and ways to fight against wildlife crime.
The DENR, through its Biodiversity Management Bureau, spearheads the national observance of the World Wildlife Day from March 2 to 6.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the celebration is “a crucial step in promoting the protection of wildlife species in the Philippines.”
“We have various activities lined up for the World Wildlife Day to remind the Filipino people of their role in protecting and conserving the treasures of our natural resources,” he added. (PNA)
