Ten endangered Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeons bred in Singapore have been repatriated to Negros Occidental.
They were turned over by the Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) based in Singapore to the Talarak Foundation – Negros Forest Park in Bacolod City, Friday morning, Jan. 17.
The Negros Bleeding Heart Dove (Gallicolumba keayi) is a small dove species previously found across the West Visayas but now restricted only to Negros and Panay, the Talarak Foundation said on its website.
As a lowland forest dwelling species these doves have been pushed to near extinction with deforestation and human encroachment across Negros, it said.
The turn over of the ten Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeons marks the first repatriation of this critically endangered species, which is endemic to Negros and Panay, a provincial government report said.
It forms part of the ongoing conservation efforts aimed at recovering wildlife populations and ensuring the long-term survival of the species, it said.
The repatriation was led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in collaboration with Talarak Foundation Inc. and MWG.
In September 2021, three breeding pairs of Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeons were entrusted to MWG in Singapore, then known as the Jurong Bird Park, as part of a groundbreaking captive breeding program, the provincial government report said.
This initiative by the provincial government was a significant step toward ensuring the survival of the critically endangered species, it said.
After three years, MWG returned ten birds to Negros Occidental, marking the first-ever repatriation of the Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeon to its native country.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said that the return of the progeny of the Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeons underscores the importance of commitment, collaboration, and hope for the preservation of Negros Occidental’s critically endangered wildlife.
The governor thanked MWG, the Singaporean government, and the Talarak Foundation for their invaluable support in ensuring the future of the species.
The survival of the Negros Bleeding-Heart Pigeon relies not only on breeding programs but also on collective efforts in reforestation, conservation education, and community engagement, he said.
Present at the event were Constance See, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Philippines, MWG Chief of Life Sciences Dr. Cheng Wen-Haur, Provincial Environment and Naturals Resources Officer Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, Talarak Foundation Inc. President Fernando Gutierrez, and TFI Executive Director Matthew Edward.*