Fieldwork

Wardens

The poachers and the hunters probably were responsible for the biggest blow to species of birds in Palawan. They were not the only culprits in the scheme of things but they definitely drew the first blood. They have the empirical knowledge on the ways and habits of the group of islands and its airborne dwellers. They have access to the environs and more importantly they had skills to seek out and cllimb the highest and foreboding of trees.

So who better to act as protectors and guardians of the island? After careful dialogues and after careful explanations on the need to immediately stop all wildlife gathering and protect the island, the PCCP and the hunters and poachers have agreed to work together. The locals became wardens and island rangers. Acting as guides, they have accompanied not just members of the PCCP but also ecotourists, out-of-towners, students, scientists and media groups into the inner recesses of Rasa.

Conservation work and some ecotourism on the side has become an alternative source of livelihood for the people. Other livelihood programs have also been started in the hope that they lessen pressure on the fragile resources of Rasa. Work still continues to make these programs long term and sustainable.

Research

The program staff has been actively pursuing scientific studies of cockatoo behavior in the island. Data have been gathered and analyzed to better equip conservation methods.

The birds have been ringed for identification and blood samples have been extracted to shed clues on diseases that plague them.

Nesting trees as well as feeding and breeding behavior have been monitored to gain a better understanding of the habits of the Katalas in the wild. To share the findings and the facts gathered, several reports of the PCCP have also been published in scientific journals.

Report: An integrated approach to conservation of the Philippine cockatoo

Breeding

A captive population serves as a safe-guard against extinction, permits studies of the biology of a species that are impracticable or would put wild birds at risk, and acts as a source of birds for possible re-introduction (Snyder et al., 1987). Even if priority is currently being given to in situ conservation of the remaining wild population of Philippine cockatoo, the possibility of future re-introduction of captive-bred birds should not be ignored, particularly for those islands where the species has been eradicated. Coordination of effort, including cooperation between private aviculturists and institutions maintaining the species in captivity, is required if the captive-breeding program is to be effective.

Breeding facilities and European programmes in the United States, a regional studbook is under review by Chris Brown, Fort Worth Zoo, and there are c. 100 birds registered with the International Aviculturist Society, including 12 breeding pairs. In the Philippines, Antonio de Dios maintains the largest captive group, comprising 20 pairs which have regular breeding success (de Dios, 1996), and in 1997 20 chicks were hand-reared. The local CITES authorities permit the sale of second-generation captive-bred birds although all the birds must be close banded, sexed and declared free from psittacine beak and feather disease.

In 1997 a colonial breeding system was initiated at St-Martin-La-Plaine. A huge outdoor aviary was constructed over ten small outdoor aviaries which were linked to ten indoor enclosures, connected by a long weldmesh tunnel, facilitating escape from aggressive conspecifics. Nestboxes were provided in the indoor enclosures. The original group of was that of 12 cockatoos.

Prelimenary behavioural observations report