DENR urged to save Mindoro’s tamaraw

Mindoro Occidental Rep. Josephine Sato yesterday called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to save the Philippine tamaraw, known as Mindoro dwarf buffalo.

“The tamaraw is among the country’s unique species threatened by extinction. Sadly, like the Philippine eagle, which is also at the brink of extinction, the Philippine tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) is a national symbol,” Sato said.

“When you mention tamaraw, it reminds us of Mindoro, a small island-province in Luzon, where these unique species of mammal can only be found and nowhere else in the world. It is our pride,” she said.

The lawmaker said the DENR should protect the tamaraw’s natural habitat and strictly enforce laws intended to preserve threatened wildlife.

Congress should strengthen the law on protected areas, she said.

“If we lose them, we lose them forever. These unique species are our treasure and they should be protected to prevent extinction.”

Sato called on the authorities and local government officials to intensify the campaign against environmental crimes that lead to biodiversity loss, particularly in declared protected areas.

She reminded them that there are at least three laws that protect the tamaraw: Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, RA 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Protection and Conservation Act and Presidential Proclamation 273 of 2002.

PD 273 declares October of every year as a special month for the conservation and protection of the tamaraw in Mindoro.

Only a few hundreds of this dwarf buffalo remain in the wild and they are concentrated at the peaks of Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park ( MIBNP) on Mindoro Island, Sato said.

Quoting the DENR, she said there were 413 tamaraws left in the wild as of April this year.