PROTECTED. The Visayan warty pigs are being taken care of inside the Mari-it Wildlife and Conservation Park in Barangay Jayobo in Lambunao, Iloilo in this file photo. The park is closed indefinitely due to confirmed cases of African swine fever in the said barangay, said tourism officer Jennifer Osorio in an interview on Thursday (June 15, 2023). (PNA file photo by PGLena)
ILOILO CITY – The municipality of Lambunao, through its municipal tourism office, announced on Thursday the indefinite closure of the Mari-it Wildlife and Conservation Park due to confirmed cases of African swine fever (ASF) in Barangay Jayubo where it is located.
“The closure started on Monday but the public was informed about it today. We could not sacrifice the safety of our Visayan warty pigs, that’s why there is the temporary closure,” said tourism office Jennifer Osorio in dialect in an interview on Thursday.
Dr. JB Ian Bullo, veterinarian of the West Visayas State University – College of Agriculture and Forestry (WBSU-CAF) and veterinarian in charge of the park, informed the local government unit and Mayor Reynor Gonzales of the need for closure as a precautionary measure.
This only wildlife and conservation park in Western Visayas run by the government hosts 10 heads, including piglets of the critically endangered Visayan warty pigs.
It is the only park that takes care of endemic animals, serving as a rescue and breeding center.
“It is endemic in Panay and Negros,” Osorio added, referring to the Visayan warty pigs.
Osorio added that biosecurity measures are also in place and even job order workers tasked to take care of animals are prohibited from eating pork.
Nonetheless, she said that they are also limiting visitors to avoid too much stress on animals.
In 2022, the tourism office recorded 2,000 visitors.
In addition to Visayan warty pigs, the park also hosts Visayan writhed hornbill, considered the world’s second most critically endangered hornbill and endangered Visayan tarictic hornbill, endangered Visayan spotted deer, vulnerable Visayan leopard cats, long-tailed Macaque (monkey), and Philippine palm civet.
Iloilo Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Darel Tabuada, in a separate interview, said the municipality of Lambunao is the latest town to have cases of ASF.
The cases were detected in a semi-commercial farm, which is located a bit far from the park.
However, he added that there is a need for the park to be strict with its biosecurity measures.
“We provided disinfectant to CAF and the barangay,” he said. (PNA)
