Bohol bans tarsiers display

By Kit Bagaipo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:13:00 02/26/2009

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — An international wildlife foundation has lauded Bohol lawmakers for its landmark legislation banning the viewing of tarsiers outside of their natural habitats.

The praises from the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity group based in the United Kingdom, came even as local businessmen who had been displaying tarsiers for tourist viewing lobbied for the scrapping of the provincial ordinance.

Despite the ordinance's passage by the provincial board last February 3, Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado had not signed the measure as of Thursday.

The Born Free Foundation thanked the Bohol provincial board for introducing the ordinance, which they called "forward thinking" and a "compassionate decision."

The letter from BFF senior scientific researcher Chris Draper was received by Board Members Alfonso Damalerio II and Esther Corazon Galbreath.

"The Philippines can be justifiably proud of this legislation, and it is our hope that other regions and countries may look to your example when considering similar legislation," Draper said.

The foundation is working throughout the world to stop individual wild animal suffering and to protect threatened species in the wild.

In a visit to Bohol last January, a television crew of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) featured the tarsiers in one of its documentary that will be shown all over the world.

The BBC crew, headed by celebrated British TV presenter and author Simon Reeve highlighted the need for rescue and care of the endangered species that are caged and displayed outside its natural habitat.

The provincial ordinance was adopted after calls to rescue the vulnerable tarsiers from its misery in tiny cages and give them lifetime care at spacious sanctuaries such as the 8-hectare sanctuary of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation in Corella town.

However, Damalerio also expressed disappointment over moves of some business establishments to block the implementation of the new ordinance.

"Instead of cooperating to return the tarsiers to the wild, most of the businesses engaged in the display of tarsiers are lobbying for the scrapping of the law," said Damalerio who is the principal author of the ordinance.