From page 07 | LEOPARD
“Inayos namin ‘yong mga papeles, we turned over muna sa PWRCC and then sinamahan namin ‘yong team nila para i-release dito sa Barangay Tagabinet. And why Tagabinet? Because it will maybe become part of Cleopatra’s Needle or part of the Puerto Princesa Underground River and there is a possibility na may population ng Palawan leopard cat doon,” Fabello said during a USAID Protect Wildlife Project event on March 15.
During the March 10 airing of Born to be Wild, Nielsen said the Palawan leopard cat was found in Laguna in a small cage.
Nielsen, who specializes in soft-tissue and orthopedic surgery and is also an avian and exotic animal specialist, said he does not know if the owner bought it or asked for it from a neighbor in Laguna.
He added further that leopard cats are often trapped in the wilds to be sold in the pet trade.
“Masigla pa at mailap ang leopard cat, puwede pa siyang pakawalan, pero ang tanging lugar kung saan sila puwedeng ibalik ay sa Palawan kung saan sila talagang nakati-
ra,” Nielsen said in the program.
He said “Palawan is very rich in biodiversity, it has very unique wildlife, and nowhere in the whole country will you find such unique animals” like the leopard cat.
Nielsen brought the animal to his clinic to be examined as a protocol before it is released to prevent infecting the wild population.
He said it is hard to repatriate wild animals because airline companies will only allow it if they are placed inside wooden crates that follow international standards.
“Ayon sa PWRCC, ito ang unang pagkakataon na may repatriation ng leopard cat pabalik ng Palawan. Itong mga animals na ganito, high-strung sila kaya mabilis silang mamamatay in captivity,” he said.
According to studies, as predators, leopard cats prey upon numerous small animal species such as rodents, helping control the pest population in agricultural areas.
Although they are identified as “least concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, restrictions on their capture and trade are being increased.