Palawan Pheasant: The Most Beautiful Peacock

Palawan peacock pheasants can be found only on the island of Palawan. They inhabit the island’s humid, coastal lowland forest and deep forests, which are rapidly diminishing. Several habitat sites are known to exist in the central mountain range. Due to deforestation, it is now thought that they are becoming increasingly restricted to the island’s mountains.

It is considered to be the most beautiful of the peacock species. The male has a long metallic blue crest with white lines above and below the eye. The rest of the head, underparts, and flight feathers are black. The mantle and wing covering are metallic blue with purple reflections. Its back, rump and tail are black with rusty brown spots. The upper tail coverts and broad tail feathers have metallic ocelli (a marking that resembles an eye) bordered by black and gray. It also has two to three spurs on each leg. The male is attractively colored to attract a female. The female is smaller, with no spurs. She is mainly mottled brown, has a crest that is brown, and isn’t as visible as the male. The face and throat is whitish and the tail is much shorter than the male’s with very faint ocelli on the feathers.

The bills are black and the feet are brown in both sexes.

The Palawan peacock pheasant is very shy, but adapts and breeds well in captivity. The male struts and displays to the female with courtship feeding by spreading the feathers of its lower neck and mantle. He bobs his head with a small piece of food in his beak. The male will drop the food in sight of the female and if she takes the food, the male will make a lateral posture that best shows off all the ocelli on the tail and tail coverts. The crest is then erected and pointed forward.

The male emits a long hissing sound while walking circles around the female. If all goes as planned, his display will so impress the female enough that she will accept him for breeding. If another male challenges him, a fight may ensue, in which the rivals use the spurs on the insides of their legs as weapons.

The bird eats live insects, fruit, and seeds.

Nesting may occur both on and above the ground. The clutch is normally two off-white eggs which are incubated by the hen for 18-20 days. Males take no part in the incubation but will help feed and rear the chicks.

Newly hatched chicks have downy feathers flecked with brown and cream, which act as camouflage. The chicks are covered with down and capable of moving around when hatched. They are fed beak-to-beak by their parents. Within a few days the parents will begin to “call” to the chicks, encouraging them to leave the safety of their hidden nest and feed on open ground. At about 10 weeks, the young attain full juvenile plumage and can survive by themselves.

There is controversy among researchers as to whether they are monogamous.

As with many island species, the Palawan peacock pheasant is endangered because of limited range and declining habitat. It is becoming increasingly restricted to the island’s mountains. The present population is estimated at less than 10,000 and is thought to be declining. Bird trading and hunting for food still continues. It is estimated that there are approximately 1,000 Palawan peacock pheasants in captivity worldwide. As habitat declines, captive propagation should not be viewed as the sole answer for their future survival. Presently, these magnificent birds are protected in the island’s 15 square miles of St. Paul’s Subterranean River National Park.

A conservation initiative proposed by The World Conservation Union, Birdlife International, and the Species Survival Commission recommends that people should conduct surveys to identify suitable habitat, particularly in the south part of the island. If suitable sites are found, they should be proposed for protection status. Hunting and bird trade should be controlled more effectively. Another way to preserve the species is to carefully manage the captive population to minimize loss of genetic diversity.

We can help in this cause by joining a conservation organization and recycling forest products.


Source: http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org

Genius!

Once there was a Kingdom in the south. Its people are peace loving and the kingdom is rich with gold and abundant with resources. However, it is ruled by a greedy King and his cronies.

The Kingdom has a law that a King can rule only for three consecutive terms. As the time goes by, families of the King and his cronies got bigger, the King and the cronies are getting old.

As greedy as their parents, the children now adults, want a share of the Kingdom. The King and the cronies are facing end of their terms. They’ve got a big problem. They got only one kingdom and there are many of them who want to be Kings and Princes.

To solve the problem, the King and the cronies thought a very good idea. Divide the Kingdom among them so they could all be Kings and since it is already new Kingdoms, they are also avoided the term limits. Genius!

Have I make sense of the story? I am not a good story teller.

Anyway, have you heard that Palawan will be divided into 3 provinces and one city? That’s Southern Palawan, Central Palawan, Northern Palawan and City of Puerto Princesa.

Genius!

Rich yet so poor

I’ve been to other places in the Philippines. Actually, almost all over the country, and it makes me wonder, how come Palawan, the richest in natural resources ( timber, fishing, beaches, silica, nickel, chromite, oil, among many), is not as developed as the other provinces.

Existing roads are ill-maintained, almost 80% of the highway to the south is not even paved. People in the south bringing their products to the market find it hard and costly. This, forced them to sell their harvests to middlemen even at a loss. Bringing sick people to the city hospital is also a problem. How can a sick person survived a dirt road for more than 6 hours?

Access to education is another. Have you seen classes of 1st to 4th grader in a room with just one teacher?

Riches of Palawan is continuously exploited, people are peace-loving, yet they get little from their government.

How come?

Say what?

"Wow! You’ve got a beautiful place.” or “Is it really beautiful?” That’s always the reply I got whenever I told that I am from Palawan. Some impression, huh?

Is it really that beautiful? What do visitors or tourists say about Palawan?

Got an idea one day, surfed the net for information about Palawan.

And you know what? There’s a lot and here are some interesting ones:

“Palawan, the only Philippine island cited, is rated by National Geographic Traveler magazine as the best island destination in East and Southeast Asia region in 2007, and the 13th best island in the world having "incredibly beautiful natural seascapes and landscapes. One of the most biodiverse (terrestrial and marine) islands in the Philippines...”

source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palawan

MANILA, Philippines - Of all the exotic locales Denis Brogniart and his collaborators have shot in, the host of the top-rated French reality TV show “Koh Lanta,” a Survivor-like hit show, cited Palawan and New Caledonia as “two of the best.”

Brogniart went on to heap praises on Palawan, particularly El Nido resort, where he stayed, as the most beautiful location they’ve come across in seven years.’

“It’s incredible to see a place like this where you can be totally lost,” he said. “It has everything, from lush forest to transparent waters full of fish and corals of various shapes and colors.”
Show producer Thierry Graff was equally awed when and he his team “stumbled” on Palawan while scouring the globe for possible locations.

“It was really spectacular to see those rock formations and magnificent beaches all in one place,” he said. “It’s a dream location that’s isolated yet accessible enough to stage challenges.”
The irony wasn’t lost on Graff when he admitted that Palawan, by far, is more scenic than Koh Lanta, a resort island in southern Thailand, from which the show got its name.

9 million viewers

But the biggest affirmation came from the French people themselves. Close to nine million viewers reportedly watched the Palawan series during its entire 11-week run, making it the highest-rating “Koh Lanta” adventure so far.


Alex Vergara
Philippine Daily Inquirer

“The beaches of Palawan bested other first-rate destinations in the Asian region including Beach No. 7 on Havelock Island, India; the Nihiwatu Beach in Indonesia; and the Laem Tong Bay in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand..”

Conde Nast Travel Magazine



“Arsi Baliscan recounts that he was at a dinner with members of the foreign community when a German guest waxed eloquent about Palawan. The German said that he had been all over the world and had visited famous resorts, but none of these could hold a candle to what Palawan had to offer: “as close to Paradise as one can get on Earth” is how the province was described. Naturally, Arsi went to see for himself, and was impressed — and berated me for not having yet seen the place. “




Palawan: Love at first sight
Solita Collas-Monsod/Opinion: Calling A Spade..
source:
www.pinoybusiness.org




Why actress Dina Bonnevie like Palawan?

"I like Amanpulo [Palawan] kasi it's so private sa Palawan kaysa sa [Boracay]. Alam mo kung bakit mas maganda sa Palawan? Kasi I'm a diver, e, and the water there is very pelagic. Talagang kahit na six feet lang, marami kang makikita. In [Boracay] kasi, parang walang masyadong dive spots. I like it in Palawan kasi I go there to sunbathe and I can dive because I like diving. And hindi masyadong commercial, mas mahal pero hindi mo naman kasama yung isang tropang ten million people sa beach na binibilang ang mga nunal mo, 'di ba?' Dina Bonnevie said.

Young celebrity actress, Yasmien Kurdi, Palawan experience.

"Best place for summer getaway, hindi ako magbabago, Palawan. Palawan-Coron, Taytay, El Nido—yun ang best place. Pumunta ako sa beaches dito sa Asia, like Phuket, Malaysia, pumunta ka ng kung anu-anong beaches dito sa Asia... Alam n'yo, maniwala man kayo o sa hindi, the best pa rin po ang Pilipinas. Kaya proud to be Pilipino pa rin po ako. Ang ganda ng Palawan, napakaganda," Yasmien narrated.




Nancy Castiglione, Palawan would be the perfect place for summer.

"I'm a beach person because I love outdoor sports, I love diving," said Nancy in an interview with PEP and YES! magazine during the event of The Face Shop last March 12. I just spent my birthday in Lagen [Island, El Nido, Palawan]. I also went diving in Anilao [Batangas]. I wanna go to Balicasag [Bohol] just for diving, I haven't seen it yet, and Tubbataha [Palawan]. Palawan is gorgeous. You know what, the Philippines is underestimated. There are so many beautiful places here." Pinay celebrity model said.

Actress Bianca King, Palawan has preserved natural habitats.

"Well, hindi lang naman siya [Champ Lui Po] yung na-convince ko. Actually, a lot of my friends are doing it din. It's just something that I love that I wanna share with other people because it's awareness also. Through learning how to dive, you know, you kind of learn how to take care of the environment. It makes one more conscious that there is another world out there, there's nature—it's not just you, human being, living in this world."

source:
www.filipinagig.blogspot

“Palawan is such a beautiful place. it's my first time to go there, and i must say, i was amazed by its beauty. where we have land in manila is where there is water in palawan. :) they have no roads for cars, only the ocean for boats. we hopped from one island to the next and enjoyed each island for its own beauty and uniqueness.”

www.delirious-child.blogspot.com

Some said it well in thousand words..

http://www.lanspinoy.blogspot.com/

Club Noah: Man and nature in harmony

Imagine yourself..

Sitting in the sun with a cool piña colada or romance the strings of a contrabass by the beach, then….

Jumping off one of the resort's floating platforms and dive into the world of napoleon wrasses and parrot fish. Racing out on the deep blue on kayak or windsurf!

Water skiing and touring of the caves..


Climbing the 109 steps that lead to the Rock Bar and savoring the reward of breathtaking view of the bay!

Then, a palette of food to tease the palate is spread out for you..

This can come true in Club Noah Isabelle, where the colors of the sea,the sun,and the sky come alive.

Club Noah-Isabelle is located in one of the 1,780 islands of Palawan, Apulit Island in Taytay Bay
Its vision is man and nature living together in harmony. Isabelle, the first Club Noah-owned resort is designed to be a model-case for eco-tourism.

With administrative authority over a one mile radius of the island, Club Noah has slowly brought the reefs of Isabelle back to life. The presence of the grey reef egrets, the Palawan hornbill and the kingfisher attest to the abundance of fish in the water.

On land are playful otters and civets, and a rainbow of wild orchids color the black marble cliffs.
Just as Noah's ark became the last refuge of all living things in the biblical times, it is Club Noah's vision that future generations will still bear witness to the marvels of nature and commune as one with them wherever there is a Club Noah resort.

Isabelle takes it name from an Old Spanish Fort that sits near the harbor of TayTay town in Northeastern Palawan. Puerto De Sta. Isabel, named in honor of Spain's Queen Isabela II, was built to protect the local townspeople from 18th Century Pirates.

Pa-lao-yu: Land of beautiful safe harbour

The name Palawan is believed to come from Chinese word "pa-lao-yu" meaning "The land of beautiful safe harbour" and a Spanish word “paragua”, which likens the shape of the island to a closed umbrella.

Palawan is paradise, sanctuary to an amazing variety of fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world. It is blessed with incredibly awesome landscapes that astound even the most indifferent of visitors. Palawan is the country’s biggest province and is composed of 1,768 islands and islets surrounded by a coral shelf with an exceptionally rich marine life. Its steeply sloped mountains are canopied by broad virgin forests. An anchor tourist destination, Palawan is one of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago. It is the perfect playground for the adventurous.

The island province of Palawan has been declared as a nature sanctuary of the world, and for good reason. It is wrapped in a mantel of rainforests, outstanding dive sites, majestic mountains, primeval caves, and pristine beaches. It is surrounded by a coral shelf that abounds with varied and colorful marine life. It boasts of exotic flora and fauna, like the mousedeer and the scaly anteater, that are found nowhere else.

Palawan waters are among the best in the world, not only for diving but also for fishing. A diver's paradise, it has miles of sub-surface coral and rainbow reef walls which surround the coasts and coves teeming with rich marine life.

The El Nido Marine Reserve in Miniloc, El Nido, occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, is a popular nature spot in the province. It boasts of diverse ecosystems, such as rainforests, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone reefs as well as a variety of fishes, like manta ray and the sea cow or ""dugong,"" known as the world's rarest marine mammal. It is now one of the country's premier destinations, blessed with amazing natural scenery, and considered as a sanctuary for various forms of wildlife.

Puerto Princesa City is where the Honda Bay can be seen. The bay consists of several islets with shallow reefs, bordering fabulous beaches and small resorts which have become the favorite water sports destination of local and foreign tourists alike.

The province boasts of extraordinary scenic wonders. African animals from Kenya in Africa - giraffes and elands, zebras and gazelles – co-exist with endemic Philippine animals, like the Palawan bearcat, mousedeer and peacock (pheasant), in the Calauit Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Busuanga, considered one of the province’s most amazing sites. Another sanctuary found in Rio Tuba Village, Bataraza is the Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary. This island is a haven for birds that rest and converge two hours before sunset, after a day's flight.

Approximately 586 kilometers southwest of Manila, Palawan is between Mindoro Island on the north, Borneo on the south, China Sea on the west, and Sulu Sea on the east. Its total land area of 1,489,655 hectares spreads across the peripheral islands of Busuanga, Culion, Linacapan, Cuyo, Dumaran, Cagayanes, and Balabac. Its main island measures 425 kilometers long, and 40 kilometers wide. Puerto Princesa, the capital city, is the chief seaport and the center of trade and commerce.

A chain of mountain ranges cut down the length of the main island. The mountain heights average 3,500 feet in altitude, with the highest peak rising to 6,800 feet at Mount Matalingahan. The vast mountain areas are the source of valuable timber. The terrain is a mix of coastal plain, craggy foothills, valley deltas, and heavy forest interspersed with riverine arteries that serve as irrigation.

There are 52 dialects in the province, with Tagalog being spoken by 28 percent of the people. Other major dialects are Cuyunin (26.27 percent), Pinalwan (11.08 percent), and Ilongo (9.6 percent).of cultural minority groups.

How to Get There

Palawan can be reached within an hour and five minutes' flight from Manila to the capital city of Puerto Princesa or a 20-hour trip by sea. A choice of regular Philippine Airlines (PAL), Air Philippines or direct-chartered flights can be made, depending on the desired destination. PAL and Air Philippines flights will take one directly to the heart of the province, where connecting trips to nearby premier sites can be made. Charter flights via Soriano Air, Pacific Air, Asian Spirit, and Sea Air will take one to his desired island, be this Cuyo, Curon, Busuanga, or El Nido. WG&A Shipping Company plies the Manila-Palawan route regularly.

"Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines"

Palawan is known at the "Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines," a distinction bestowed upon the province because of its highly diverse environment that remains relatively pristine in the midst of rapid changes and economic growth. The province boasts of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and the pristine Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea. The province also has seven protected areas, declared by the Philippine government In recognition of their biological importance as habitants of rare and endangered species of plants and animals. The seven protected areas are:
· Coron Island Protected Area in the Municipality of Coron with its seven lakes.
· Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Municipality of Busuanga known as the first successful wildlife translocation experiment in Asia.
· El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area covering the municipalities of El Nido and Taytay in northern Palawan.
· Malampaya Sound Land and Seascape Protected Area in the Municipality of Taytay -ecologically and economically important both as a watershed and a rich fishing ground and the habitat of Bottle-nosed and Irrawady dolphins.
· Saint Paul Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa City is among the longest navigable underground rivers in the world
· Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in Sulu Sea home to 400 species of fish and bird species.
· Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary near the Municipality of Brooke's Point in southern Palawan. The islet is a migratory and wintering ground for shorebirds and seabirds.

Sustainable development of Palawan's terrestrial and marine resources serves as the framework and main strategy of the province's development efforts. Together with government agencies, non-government organizations, the tourism private sector and the communities strives to maintain Palawan's unique ecological system for the benefit of the present and future generations of Palaweños

Sources: Palawan Provincial Information OfficePalawan Council for Sustainable Development