THE Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Council is planning to mount a Wildlife Festival in Olango Island this October to drum up awareness on wildlife protection and conservation among local stakeholders.
The tourism council will collaborate with concerned government agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the implementation of the festival, which features activities like dancing, painting, and symposiums among others, said Hembler Mendoza, the city’s tourism officer.
Olango’s main attraction is the wildlife sanctuary, which supports the largest concentration of migratory birds found so far in the Philippines. According to olangowildlifesanctuary.org, there are 97 species of birds in Olango, 48 of which are migratory species while the rest are resident birds of the island.
The island is a major refueling station for approximately 40,000 migratory birds. The website noted that 1,030 hectares of sand-flats and mangroves in the island serve as a haven for the birds that come from Siberia, Northern China and Japan.
In 1987, approximately 10,000 migratory birds were discovered in Olango Island. Then Philippine President Corazon Aquino signed a law that declared Olango Island a protected area in 1992.
The best time to do birdwatching is between September and May. During peak migration, which is from November to February, approximately 40,000 migratory birds visit Olango.
Chinese egrets, Asiatic dowitchers and Eastern curlews are just some of the species that can be found in the island. Tourists from Asia, America and Europe frequent the island for bird-watching.
“Staging a Wildlife Festival, which we intend to do annually every October, aims to increase awareness on wildlife protection and conservation among the local community. Hopefully, this will encourage community involvement in taking care of our wildlife resources,” said Mendoza, adding that the proposed program is already getting interest and support from the public and private sectors, although it hasn’t been officially endorsed to the City Council.
“We are still polishing the program and finalizing the budget. We are also meeting with government agencies on how we are going to implement this to ensure that wildlife conservation is observed through responsible tourism,” said Mendoza.
On top of raising awareness, the program also aims to generate livelihood in the local community.
Like Mactan, Olango also has several diving and snorkelling spots, including the shark-inhabited Mabini Point, the soft coral haven of Santa Rosa, and the deep wall dive of Baring.