By: Kim Atienza
Thanks to our Matanglawin TV show, we had a chance to visit Panay Island, the 6th largest island in Western Visayas.
We discovered and loved the wildlife in Bugang River.
Bugang River is considered as one of the cleanest rivers in the Philippines, according to a study conducted by the DENR in 2010.
Bugang literally means adobe. This is because the river is full of adobe.
While wandering along the river, we saw a “Kawu-kawo,” popularly known as rear-fanged snake. It is a mildly venomous snake.
We went on to hunt a Scorpion Crab or “Uson”, accompanied by a local hunter, Mang Joseph.
This is how the trap worked: “Ang gagawin natin sa una, kailangan humanap tayo ng butas, ang mga scorpion crab ay nakikita sa loob ng lupa. Kaya nilang magbungkal sa ilalim ng lupa hanggang anim na talampakan kaya nilalagay anglangpit o patibong sa ibabaw ng butas sa lupa.”
Lagpitis a crab trap made from bamboo. A short spear like stone will be put inside the bamboo; it has an elastic door, thus when the crab enters the trap and hit the elastic door, it will be automatically closed, causing the crab to get locked up.
Uson is a crab that looks like a mix between shrimp and scorpion. It can also be seen in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, where locals blend its shell with alcohol and use it as cure for asthma.
•
We also dropped by Northwest Panay Peninsula Park, where we saw a Visayan Spotted Deer or Lasao that got caught in a trap and broke its leg.
According to Dr. Enrique “Bimbot” Sanchez, a veterinarian, 95 per cent of Lasao are already extinct and there are only 2,500 remaining. “Yung Visayan Spotted Deer, considered s’yang the most endangered deer sa buong mundo.”
“Pagkasira ng kalikasan at hunting ang kalaban ng Visayan Spotted Deer.”
•
TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): The world’s smallest winged insect, the Tanzanian parasitic wasp, is smaller than the eye of a housefly.
•
If the Sun were the size of a beach ball then Jupiter would be the size of a golf ball and the Earth would be as small as a pea.
•
Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.
Ating tuklasin ang mga bagay-bagay na di niyo pa alam. Walang ’di susuungin, lahat aalamin. Ito po si Kuya Kim, Matanglawin, only here in Tempo.
