ENFORCERS from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) came to the rescue of two endemic Northern Luzon giant cloud rats (Phloeomys pallidus), locally known as Bu-ot, in the towns of San Rafael and Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT) in Bulacan province.

Chief of the forest protection unit of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) Baliwag Morgan Gallego said that a certain Edmund dela Cruz, resident of San Rafael town, reported to their office the presence of the wild animal in their area.

The Cenro forest protection team conducted a successful rescue operation on the wildlife on Thursday, April 1.

Meanwhile, another Northern Luzon giant cloud rat was also rescued on the same day in an abandoned house in Barangay Camachile in DRT.

Upon examination, the Cenro team found out that the two animals have no injury and are healthy.

The two animals were immediately released at the more than 2,000-hectare Biak na Bato National Park in San Miguel, Bulacan.

Dennis Vergara, head of Cenro-Baliwag, urged the public to report to the nearest environment authorities in their area any illegal wildlife activities.

He also warned the public to refrain from catching and eating wildlife meat or bushmeat to prevent the spread of zoonotic disease.

According to a study, the Northern Luzon giant cloud rat is a timid, forest-dwelling animal with long and rough fur, and is endemic to the island of Luzon where it is found in the northern and central provinces.

The giant cloud rats are primarily tree-dwelling, spending most of their time high in the branches and it can sometimes be seen moving slowly along the forest floor searching for food, the research added.

Republic Act 9147 or the wildlife protection and conservation law of 2001 prohibits the killing, destroying, trading, collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife, their by-products and derivatives.