The Plight of the Bumble Bee

Looking at endangered animal species in the Philippines, Tim Tayag claims that if the human race doesn't do more to protect wildlife in the coming years, then we might as well pick our own graves at the nearest cemetery.



Einstein once said that if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no pollination, no plants, no animals, no more man, hence no magazine and no readers. If we don't do anything to protect our wildlife from poachers, exotic animal eaters and illegal circus trainers, the we might as well pick our graves at the nearest friendly cemetery. In the Philippines, the following species are in danger of being (if not already) extinct:

The Green Politician

This political species is uncommon but has the most promise to proliferate and save the other endangered animals. All it needs is our vote, our petitions, and our voice. Given the right incentive, such as election or re-election, the green politician can grow and create a sustainable environment for the tarsier, the calesa, and maybe even the kapre. Saving this creature will have the most impact on our country.

The Calesa

The only animal that is part-living/part-machine, the calesa roamed plentiful and free during Spanish rule. Today, this small horse-drawn carriage has been replaced by the smoke-belching tricycle. But it still thrives in some areas and particularly in Intramuros, in Manila. In a world that has an incurable addiction to oil, calesas could turn out to be the poor man's hydrogen car, as they run on the cheapest alternative - grass. And as a bonus, the manure emissions can be sold as fertilizer.

The Kapre

The cutting down of Balete (Banyan) trees has caused the demise of the kapre, a magical creature that lived in the said trees. The kapre, which shares the same height as as Yao Ming but with less hair, smokes tobacco that is so aromatic, only a smelly goat can outmatch it. Back in the days when forests were full of gigantic Balete trees, kapres lived in every trunk and wooed every maiden that passes by. Today, there are only fuzzy photos and videos of these giants on YouTube. If we could only propagate the Balete, then maybe the kapres will come back, together with our basketball glory days.

The Tarsier

This bug-eyed monkey-lik creature is the adorable mascot of Bohol. It lives in trees and is nocturnal. Probably the smallest primates in the world, sadly, tarsiers are being smuggled inside sticky rice cakes to become pets by Noah's Ark wannabes. But they don't live or breed well in captivity. Some have been known to kill themselves by banging their heads against cages or drowning themselves in drinking bowls after leaving a suicide note about loneliness. Leave them in their habitats and visit only at recommended places.



Copied without permission from Smile Magazine of Cebu Pacific Air June/July 08 Issue.