Improving animal welfare
RENOVATION PROGRAM AT THE PWRCC (Palawan Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Center)
Palawan Island, Philippines
The main aim of this program is to improve the well-being of captive wild animals in the PWRCC, by renovating old facilities and building new structures that are more adapted to the physiological and behavioral needs of the animals.
# DONE
- Obtaining the necessary authorizations to launch the project.
- Creating a fundraiser on HelloAsso.
- Designing enclosures with the help of a Filipino architect.
- Welcoming the first volunteers.
- Renovating an aviary for eagles.
# ONGOING
- Creating an aviary for flight rehabilitation outside the public area
- Renovating an enclosure to house a 10 meter-long python
# UPCOMING
- Building 8 new enclosures for binturongs.
- Rebuilding the quarantine area.
- Providing supplies, in particular restraint equipment, for the veterinary clinic.
The challenge: a rescue center with little financial, human and material resources
The PWRCC, the only wildlife rescue center in Palawan, opened in 1987 in Puerto Princesa. It rescues over 300 animals that were found injured or seized by local authorities every year. Most of them are rehabilitated and eventually released. However, despite all the staff’s efforts, some individuals cannot be released into their natural environment: around 200 animals are currently kept on site. However, the facilities have not changed much since 1987 and they are no longer adapted to the growing number of animals brought to the center. The latter, facing a lack of human, material and financial resources, is unable from to fix these issues: too small aviaries, ageing facilities, unsanitary quarantine area, lack of hygiene and security, lack of medical personnel, inability to provide the right conditions to meet the animals’ physiological needs, etc.
The current enclosure of Ming-Ming, one of the binturongs of the center - Puerto Princesa, Palawan island, Philippines. Credit R. Perrucaud
Goals: improving animal welfare and increasing the chances of rehabilitation
One of our volunteers while renovating - Puerto Princesa, Palawan island, Philippines. Credit R. Gspann
In order to improve the welfare of captive animals and facilitate the center’s efforts in rehabilitation of certain species, ABConservation has signed a partnership with the PWRCC and the local government, with the following objectives:
- Collecting funds to buy the necessary equipment for renovations and to build more suitable enclosures.
- Calling for volunteers from all over the world to provide knowledge in various fields and help the staff with daily tasks and construction work.
- Providing training for the staff on topics such as medical training, enrichment making, etc.
- Improving medical care for injured animals and the welfare of captive animals.
Our action: mobilising financial, material and human resources
Financial resources
An old eagle aviary currently being renovated - Puerto Princesa, Palawan island, Philippines. Credit A. Debruille
Material resources
With the purchase of material thanks to the fundraiser, it is finally possible for us to enhance the living conditions of some of the residents by improving their enclosures or building new ones that are larger and better adapted to their welfare.
In order to achieve the goals we have set, a list of works and initiatives was created:
- Construction of eight new enclosures for binturongs. The center currently keeps eight adults: one lives alone and does not tolerate living in a group, and only two of them live together in the same enclosure. As for the last five, they are held in cages unsuitable for their physiological and ecological needs, in the quarantine zone. Moreover, enclosures are outdated and include too little environmental enrichment, while some of the individuals exhibit stereotypical behavior.
- Creating new aviaries for mainates, eagles and hornbills, which are currently held in the quarantine area.
- Creating a large flight aviary for the rehabilitation of birds.
- Creating new enclosures for the civets and macaques that are currently in quarantine.
- Construction of a whole new quarantine area to provide larger spaces for confiscated animals.
- Acquisition of veterinary equipment, including restraint equipment.
- Planting fruit trees, to provide part of the feed for the animals.
- Installation of glass walls in the current reptile area because visitors keep touching the snakes through the fences.
Human resources
Volunteers working - Puerto Princesa, Palawan island, Philippines. Credit R. Perrucaud
Stakeholders in the field: a close collaboration between our volunteers and center staff
Ce programme est l’aboutissement de l’amitié entre le PWRCC et ABConservation, avec la volonté de nos deux co-présidentes, Pauline Kayser et Agathe Debruille. Il ne pourrait pas fonctionner sans le dévouement des employés du PWRCC et des bénévoles d’ABConservation. Pour pallier aux différents besoins qui se font de plus en plus nombreux et plus pressants, un comité de rénovation a été créé en 2022 ainsi qu’un programme de bénévolat. If you also want to help us as a volunteer, you can visit our volunteer page for all the necessary information. There are various missions so you will surely find the one that suits you!
ABConservation
| French Office 57 rue Cuvier MNHN CP31 75005 Paris France | Filipino Office 88 Paduga Road, Barangay santa Monica Puerto Princesa City 5300 Palawan, Philippines |
Subscribe to our newsletter
Your e-mail address will be only used for sending ABConservation newsletters.
It will never be shared with third parties and you can find a link to cancel your subscription in all our e-mails.
To know how your data is used and to learn more about your rights, click here.
