Mindanao Times

Wildlife is Here

- BY WARREN ELIJAH E. VALDEZ

THE PHILIPPINE Eagle Foundation (PEF) will be featuring the city’s wildlife in an exhibit that will be undertaken next month.

PEF, in partnershi­p with the Department of Environmen­t and Natural Resources (DENR) XI, University of Mindanao,

SM Lanang Premier, and Whitley Fund for Nature, will be presenting the “Wildlife is Here 2020: Biodiversi­ty Super Year.”

The interactiv­e exhibit featuring the wildlife of Davao City will be held at the atrium of SM Lanang Premier on March 3 and will run until March 8.

The week-long exhibit will also be in celebratio­n of the UN World Wildlife Day.

Dr. Jayson Ibañez, PEF director for research and conservati­on said the exhibit is aimed to highlight the critical role of wildlife and humans in achieving long-term and sustainabl­e developmen­t.

“It is designed to facilitate self-learning, encourage Davaoeños of all ages and background­s to become citizen scientists, and develop a sense of bi

odiversity consciousn­ess,” Ibañez told reporters during the Connect media forum at SM Lanang Premiere yesterday.

“In terms of getting more public participat­ion, we believe that experienti­al learning opportunit­ies would be very formal. One of the things that we are doing is to popularize wildlife,” Ibañez added.

Further, taxidermy of specimens of various animals like the Philippine Eagle, Palm Civet, and the Crested Goshawk will be displayed, alongside posters of other wildlife found in Davao region. Different species of beetles and butterflie­s will also be showcased in the event where visitors will be given a chance to see it through a microscope.

“Wildlife is here” celebratio­n is already on its third year.

SM Supermalls Mindanao regional operations manager Jonathan Nick Santos said that SM Lanang Premier supports the efforts of PEF in its advocacy in raising awareness on environmen­tal conservati­on, as SM has already been a home of the said exhibition for almost three years already.

“Through this project with the PEF, SM leads by example in illustrati­ng the importance of collaborat­ion when it comes to sparking conservati­on on sustainabi­lity and the environmen­t,” he said.

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