Different activities have been conducted by the Katala Foundation, Inc. (KFI) for a joint celebration of Bakoko Day and Pangolin Day.
The first activity was conducted for “Pangolin Day” celebration at Sitio Pag-asa, Bgy. Napsan in the southernmost part of the City of Puerto Princesa on Feb. 15, in line with the “World Pangolin Day.”
Around 120 residents, mostly Tagbanuas participated in the activities prepared by KFI such as lecture, slide show, Pangolin painting, poster viewing, quiz bee, Pangolin feeding game, pangolin stop dance, pangolin modelling and many other environmental games for all ages.
On Feb. 19, the Bakoko Day was celebrated at Bgy. Dumarao, Roxas in the northernpart of the Province of Palawan.
The group likewise conducted a lecture about Bakoko and Pangolin, conducted a quiz bee for Grade levels 4 to 6, painting contest for high school, coloring for preschool to Grade 3, Balintong puzzle for elementary students, Pangolin feeding contest, memory card game, “Save Me” and other games for elementary and high school students.
There was also a mascot appearance and “Adopt wildlife ceremony” at the end of a whole-day activity.
Palawan Forest Turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis) locally known as Bakoko and Palawan Pangolin (Manis culionenesis) locally known as Balintong can only be found in the Province of Palawan. The two species, both critically endangered, are protected by local, national and international laws but poachers still manage to poach the animals.
According to the data of Turtle Conservancy, in 2015 alone, in 4,124 Forest Turtle that were seized on their way to the illegal pet trade in China, around 3,907 of them were Palawan Forest Turtles. The animals were first rehabilitated before they were released back to the wild.
Bakoko is among the 25 most endangered turtle species in the world, according to Turtle Conservancy. The protection of this species is now spearheaded by the Katala Foundation, Inc., with support from the Philippine Freshwater Turtle Conservation Program (PFTCP), and other NGO’s and government agencies.