The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) have partnered to bolster conservation efforts for the critically endangered tamaraw (dwarf buffalo).
During a ceremony at the DENR office in Quezon City on Monday, TMP formally turned over a Tamaraw vehicle and 30 Bantay Tamaraw kits to the DENR.
In her speech, DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga said the collaboration will help enhance the mobility, safety and operational capacity of tamaraw conservation teams, specifically the rangers who patrol the remote areas of Mindoro.
“This turnover of the Next Generation Tamaraw vehicle and Bantay Tamaraw kits represents more than just the handover of essential equipment and a vehicle. It is a reaffirmation of our commitment to protecting and preserving our country’s biodiversity with like-minded international partners,” she said.
Loyzaga said the vehicle is intended to support field missions across Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP), the core habitat of the tamaraw
The Bantay Tamaraw kits, on the other hand, include protective gear, camping essentials, and field monitoring devices for the rangers.
“We must also take care of those who are at the frontline of conservation. Our Bantay Tamaraw, composed of dedicated individuals from local communities and indigenous groups, who work tirelessly often in difficult and risky situations, to safeguard the species and their habitats,” Loyzaga said.
The traditional intensive concentration count conducted March 25 to April 1 at MIBNP has provided an initial estimate of about 351 tamaraws.
The DENR said the estimated tamaraw population across Mindoro ranges between 574 and 610.
Loyzaga said the count serves as an important baseline for the said site in order to assess the current tamaraw population.
Ongoing efforts include the Double Observer Point Count and the Double Observer Distance Sampling of dung, which are being conducted in the protected area where the majority of the tamaraw population is located.
“These methods aim to refine population estimates and monitor trends in tamaraw numbers more accurately,” Loyzaga said.
Aside from MIBNP, other confirmed populations of tamaraw have been observed in the Aruyan-Malati Tamaraw Reservation in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; Mt. Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary in Paluan, Occidental Mindoro; and the Upper Amnay Tamaraw Habitat spanning Occidental and Oriental Mindoro.
Despite positive signs of population distribution, the tamaraw remains critically endangered.
Ongoing threats such as poaching, habitat loss and the impacts of climate change continue to jeopardize the species' survival, according to the DENR.
Loyzaga said the DENR will install a Global Positioning System tracker on the donated vehicle to improve monitoring and optimize conservation deployment, while stressing the need to move beyond preservation and toward rebuilding the tamaraw population through future breeding efforts. (Marita Moaje/PNA)
