Status

In 1950, the Red-vented cockatoo (Cacutua haematuropygia) was common throughout the Philippine archipelago. According to a recent estimation, the total population do not exceed 1.000 individuals. The species has already disappeared from several large islands such as Luzon, Panay, Cebu and Leyte. Its main stronghold is nowadays Palawan.
The rapid population reduction is owed to :

• trapping for the local cage-bird trade,

• extensive loss for agriculture of the lowlands forest habitat where it feeds and nests,

• hunting when considered as rice-field pest.

Objectives.

A protection program was set up in 1992 on Palawan in order to save the last viable populations of this cockatoo and to preserve its habitat with the participation and support of the local people.
Since 1998, several actions have been developed on Rasa Island (8 km2) :

• collecting data on the cockatoo biology.

• protecting the cockatoo and its habitat : ex-poachers patrol and warden the birds all year round : consequently, the cockatoo population has doubled within 4 years (80 birds by the end of 2002).

• establishing an awareness and education campaign not only for the school children but as well for the villagers in order to obtain a compromise between their ancestral rights and the protection of the cockatoo natural habitat.

• supporting livelihood projects for example pig fattening for the ex-poachers community.

• conducting surveys on other islands where some other viable cockatoo populations could exist.

• investigating potential translocation sites.

A similar program is currently initiated on Dumaran island, Palawan.

Since 1991, CEPA has been supporting this project by :

• printing an educational poster for local campaign.

• printing a brochure on the illegal wildlife poaching in the Philippines.

• buying a motorbike and a pump boat for surveying Dumaran island.

Implementation : PCCP (Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program), Philippine coordinator : Katala Foundation, European coordinator : Marc Boussekey
 

Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program

Loro Parque Fundacion