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R U G G E D E S C A P E S
Ferry boats to Calayan Island
depart twice weekly from
Santa Ana, which is four
hours away from Tuguegarao
by bus or van. For visitor
assistance, please contact
municipal councilor Tessie
Pimentel-Singun at +63 (929)
837 5737.
ARE YOU
NORTH BOUND?
The guide plays prerecorded chorus calls
to attract
piding
; the island is home to the
horned spider and the red-eyed cicada
Even without spotting the elusive bird,
exploring an old-growth forest is always
a wonderful adventure. Slogging through
shin-deep mud and dense foliage of
thorny palms and lianas, we spot some
smaller, curious-looking residents of the
sanctuary such as stick insects, horned
spiders and red-eyed cicadas.
Calayan’s forests are also home to
the Philippine warty pig, an endemic
species as well; our hiking guide was
quick to point out some of their fresh
tracks along the way.
Unfortunately, the virgin rainforests
of Calayan — which belong to the
remaining 11% of primary forest cover
in the Philippines — continue to be
destroyed by illegal logging and
kaingin
(slash-and-burn farming). And the
defenseless
piding,
being a weak flier,
is further threatened by hunting and
predation by domestic animals like cats
and dogs. “On the bright side, if done
responsibly with protocols in place,
ecotourism can help in the protection of
the island’s forests and unique wildlife,”
explains Oliveros. “Tourism can also
improve the livelihood of the local
community, which in turn can promote
positive attitudes towards the rail and
generate support for its conservation in
the area.”
As we descend the mountain towards
the coast, we see the ominous clouds
that would foreshadow our arduous
departure — reminding us that our
paradisiacal affair with the island may be
consummate but, like the manifestation
of the timid rail, always ephemeral.
Cebu Pacific flies from Manila to
Tuguegarao.
www.cebupacificair.com