An endangered brown booby could soon return to the wild after a rescue in the Philippines.
Local environment officials and wildlife care specialists rescued the seabird along the coast of Cabangan, Zambales.
Here's what to know
A Department of Environment and Natural Resources social media post cited by the Daily Tribune identified Cabangan's Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office as the office that secured the seabird.
"MENRO Cabangan coordinated with CENRO Olongapo City to facilitate the proper turnover of the bird and ensure immediate intervention. We then arranged its transfer to the Wildlife in Action Rescue Center within the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)," said Edward Sernadilla, chief of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Olongapo City, in the department's post.
The transfer allowed veterinarians and wildlife personnel to assess the seabird's condition.
More background
Administrative Order No. 2019-09 of the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources lists the brown booby (Sula leucogaster) as endangered, according to the Daily Tribune.
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Republic Act No. 9147, the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, provides additional protection for the seabird. The administrative order updates the national list of threatened Philippine fauna and their threat categories.
What's being done?
After rehabilitation, the department identified a return to the wild as a possibility.
At the Wildlife in Action Rescue Center, veterinarians and wildlife personnel treated the seabird and worked to stabilize its condition.
To get trained personnel involved in assessing an animal's condition and providing appropriate care, the department asks the public to immediately notify local environment offices about wildlife that's hurt, stranded, or in distress.
To keep the animal from being hurt further and keep the public safe while a response is arranged, the department recommends leaving wildlife handling to trained responders, the Tribune reported.
The department's regional executive director, Ralph Pablo, said, "The rescue highlights the role of local government units and communities in reporting wildlife emergencies, enabling trained personnel to provide appropriate care to injured or distressed animals."
Where can I learn more?
Wildlife rescuers from Florida to Cornwall have provided similar care to animals in distress.
• In Florida, six rehabilitated sea turtles and a pelican returned to the wild.
• In Cornwall, England, a starving puffin named Morris settled into care after rescuers intervened.
• An endangered sea turtle traveled 5,000 miles from Wales to Houston for Gulf release.
• In Virginia, an eaglet rescued after a storm was released before its rescuer.
• In California, a great horned owl returned to the wild after surviving a beating.
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