"Animals in thePhilippines"
Turtle Islands in the Philippines
The Tawi-Tawi islands
South of the island Palawan there is a group of seven small islands, which is known as "the Turtle Islands". Locally the islands are known as the "Tawi-Tawi islands". The total latogether with three islands of neighbour country Malaysia and the surrounding coral waters, are the only living area of the Green Sea Turtles in Asia and in the whole world. Since 1996 the islands are declared Protected Area, the only way to guarantee the existence of the green sea turtles and their nesting sites.nd surface of the Turtle Islands is no more than 318 hectares. The Turtle Islands,
Local people help with conservation activities
For a successful conservation and protection program the support of the locals is very important. Fishing is for most of them the most important activity. Hunting the sea turtles and collecting the turtle eggs for food, has always been a welcome possibility for additional income. At the end of August to December the turtles come by hundreds out of the surrounding coastal waters to lay and dig their eggs into the sand. The staff of the Conservation Project succeeded in convincing the locals of the need to minimize their collecting activities. Local men, women and children, are now involved and help with the protection activities.
Laws and regulations
It seems that the Philippines is not lacking laws and regulations concerning environmental protections. This doesn't mean that all is settled and that there are no problems with reference to for instance coral waters, forest , marine turtles and fish waters. On the contrary! Illegal practices give many times problems with reference to the conservation ends of the government. For the turtles the problems seem to be solved last years.
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In the waters of the Philippines there are more than 2000 different kinds of fish. Added to that figure, the country counts about 200 different kinds of reptiles and 25000 different insects. The smallest monkey and the biggest fish in the world, they both live in the Philippines! Spectacular is the colourful underwater-world. Every year many tourists come to the Philippines to one of the islands, where scuba diving brings them to this amazing underwater-world. The Philippines can show you what a typical tropical country can offer in species of animals. Of course, not all animals are rare or specific for the Philippines. That is for sure if you take the carabao, the cocks or the lizards.
Mga Tokó, as the people in de Visayas call the small lizards, are living in houses and other buildings in every tropical country. |
