Educational fun at D'Bone Collection Museum

Thursday, February 2, 2012

FINALLY, it’s official. The D’Bone Collector Museum Inc. finally had its grand opening recently.

“I am very happy that this museum will help people to be educated on how we can preserve and conserve our remaining natural resources, particularly the animal species,” said Darrell D. Blatchley, the museum’s curator and director.

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Inside the museum are collections of different bones, skulls, and skeletons of animals, marine species, birds and butterflies. Among the attractions are the huge sperm whale, the jaws of sharks, the Cambodian python (one of the longest snakes in the world), and armadillo.

Blatchley himself collected them since he was a still boy; some of the collections were donated by private individuals and institutions who believe that through the museum, conservation and protection awareness can be shared.

People who were invited to grace the opening were glad they came. They never thought that such a museum would exist in Davao City. “This could be one of the city’s prime destinations.”As if echoing the words of the Department of Tourism, one visitor said, “Indeed, it’s more fun to visit Davao City.”

Former councilor Leonardo Avilla III, now the chief of the City Agriculture Office, delivered a short congratulatory message. In her short message, Fatma Idris, of the research division of the Bureau of Fisheries of Aquatic Resources, thanked Blatchley for coming up such museum that would raise awareness in the conservation of not just the marine species but also those found in land and air.

Orly Escarilla, director of the Museo Dabawenyo, read the message of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who failed to attend the opening. In an interview, Escarilla said that both museums will work together to further enhance the tourism activities of the city.

I didn’t only attend the grand opening of the museum; I was also asked to deliver a short message. This is what I told the audience:

“At the rate our ecosystems are getting destroyed, many species may no longer be there when we need them.” These words were penned by Samuel Penafiel, former director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.

Today, most of our endemic resources are vanishing: the Philippine Eagle, tamaraw, calamian deer, tarsier, Panay flying fox, flying lemur, Cebu black shama, Philippine crocodile, pawikan, and waling-waling.

Next to Australia, the Philippines has the most number of sea grasses. Of the almost 700 coral reefs known in the world, 500 of these can be found in our country. We have the second largest eagle in the world. We have in our waters the world’s smallest fish.

The Philippines is touted as one of the hotspots in the world – due to our endemic species and how these species are threatened.

Once these species are gone from this part of the world, they will be gone forever. They will join the dodo into extinction. Has anyone seen a picture of dodo? First sighted around 1600 on Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, the dodo was extinct less than eighty years later.

How many of our flora and fauna will join the dodo at the end of this century? No one knows. In the near future, we may not see them anymore but only through the pages of books, in pictures, or in museum.

Whenever I visit another country, I am always fascinated by their exquisite plants and enthralling animals.

I did have a grand time in Australia when I visited the zoo at Melbourne. I did have a safari in Durban when I went to South Africa. I enjoyed watching sea creatures at the Mall of America in Minnesota.

But the museum that really fascinated me was the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. It was sort of “see all you can.” I never had the chance of seeing all the museums but manage to see only four of them.

One of those that attracted me was the Museum of Natural History. Once you get inside you see a huge elephant. As you tour around the building, you will see different animals and interesting creatures, among others.

Why I am telling all these? The reason is: D’Bone Collectors Museum is sort of part of the Smithsonian Museum. It has almost everything what you need to see in a museum: the bones and skeletons, some interesting facts and tidbits, the lights and designs.

I have been to other museums in the country but I believe this museum in Davao is one of the best. This will join the long list of areas to be visited in Davao.

We have several places of interest when it comes to ecotourism. We have the Philippine Eagle Center, the Crocodile Park, the Malagos Garden Resort, the Eden Nature Park, and several others. I have been to most of these areas and I commend for what they are doing: preservation, beautification, and education.

Most of those featured live flora and fauna. And it is good that Filipinos can still see them alive today – although in cages and in contained areas.

What if they will be gone just like the dodo? D’Bone Collector Museum is the place to visit. The visitors will get an opportunity of seeing the bones of the animals – how they look like. As a bonus, the collections are not only from the Philippines but in other parts of the world.

I want to congratulate Darrel Blatchley and his family for coming up with a museum like this. And kudos too for building it in Davao City, one of the world’s largest cities.

End of my speech.

The D’Bone Collectors Museum is located sort of an extension of San Pedro Street. Actually, it is in Bucana. Once you get to the place, there is a big parking area where you can live your vehicle.

It is open from Mondays to Fridays only – from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. Entrance fee is P50 for adults and P40 for students and children.

For reservation, you may call this number: 0919-6240744. Or you can send email: crocodiledd1@yahoo.com.