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Breeding program saving Negros bleeding-heart pigeons from extinction

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Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See brings 10 fledglings to Negros Occidental, offspring of six endangered bird species sent to the city-state in 2021

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – Negros Occidental officials had been grappling with an unrelenting question: How do you save a species teetering on the brink of extinction? The answer came through a partnership with Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG).

The initiative began in 2021, when the provincial government, alarmed by the dwindling numbers of the province’s bleeding-heart pigeons (Gallicolumba keayi), greenlit the plan. In close collaboration with the Talarak Foundation Incorporated (TFI), they launched the Captive Breeding Program (CBP), a last-ditch effort to prevent the species from vanishing entirely.

The stakes were high. The program called for three pairs of Negros bleeding-heart pigeons – rescued and sheltered at the TFI-managed Negros Forest Park in Bacolod City – to be sent across international borders. Their destination: the famed Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, where MWG’s team of specialists would attempt to breed them in captivity.

For three years, the project proceeded quietly. The pigeons, symbols of a fragile ecosystem under siege, became subjects of a high-stakes experiment in survival. And on Thursday, January 16, the results were clear: the program had succeeded.

That day, Singapore’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Constance See, arrived in Negros Occidental carrying a much-awaited cargo: 10 fledglings, the progeny of the original six birds sent to Singapore.

During the handover ceremony at the provincial capitol, See credited the provincial government, TFI, and MWG for their determination in preserving the species.

Part of local heritage

In the 19th century, Negros bleeding-heart pigeons were a common sight in the forests of Negros and Panay, according to several accounts.

The shy yet striking dove, known for the distinctive red or orange patch on its breast resembling a bleeding wound, is endemic to the Philippines. Today, it survives only on the islands of Negros and Panay, where it holds cultural significance as a natural heritage for Negrenses.

The lowland forest-dwelling species has faced growing threats over time. The rapid expansion of land development in Negros Occidental has contributed to its decline, pushing the bird onto the list of the “Western Visayas Big 5,” a group of endangered animals protected under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001.

The list includes the Philippine spotted deer, Visayan warty pig, Visayan hornbill, and Rufous-headed hornbill, all of which have suffered from habitat loss and hunting, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Western Visayas.

The continued expansion of subdivisions and resorts, even into the uplands of Negros Occidental, poses a serious challenge for this already endangered species, according to Errol Gatumbato, president of the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation.

The shrinking forest cover on Negros and Panay has further endangered the survival of the bleeding-heart pigeon and other species, emphasizing the need for more conservation efforts.

“I am confident that this special program for Negros’ wildlife will help genetically preserve the endangered species, and hopefully they’ll be back soon in the wild without interference,” Gatumbato said.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the commitment to increase the critically endangered dove population in the province. Officials said the fledglings would be released into the wild at the proper time.

Lacson added that the arrival of 10 fledglings shows there is hope for preserving and reproducing not only the Negros bleeding-heart pigeon but also other endangered species on the island through reforestation, conservation education, and community engagement. – Rappler.com

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Picture of Written by <span>Ambo Delilan</span>
Written by Ambo Delilan
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