Rescued raptor, monkey highlight growing wildlife awareness in Zambo Norte

ZAMBOANGA CITY  (May 12) — A rescued young hawk and a surrendered monkey are becoming fresh symbols of growing community support for wildlife protection in Zamboanga del Norte.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Zamboanga Peninsula said a juvenile Brahminy Kite and a Philippine long-tailed Macaque are now under the care of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in Liloy while awaiting their return to the wild.

The Brahminy Kite, a striking rust-colored bird of prey often seen gliding over coastal communities, was retrieved Saturday in Barangay Fatima, Salug town after local resident Rogelio Gumasab cared for it for nearly two months.

Authorities said the bird was rescued after its nest reportedly collapsed beside a creek during bad weather, leaving the young raptor vulnerable.

In the same village, another resident, Anilyn Gumasab, voluntarily turned over a Philippine long-tailed Macaque to environmental authorities — a move the DENR described as an encouraging sign that public awareness on wildlife conservation is taking root in rural communities.

Forester Neil Aquino of Cenro-Liloy praised residents for choosing to coordinate with authorities instead of keeping the animals in captivity.

Aquino also reminded the public that keeping wildlife without authorization violates environmental laws and may result in penalties, stressing that wild animals belong in their natural habitats.

The DENR continues to call on communities across the Zamboanga Peninsula to report injured, displaced, or illegally kept wildlife to authorities, saying stronger grassroots cooperation is becoming crucial as habitat pressures and human-wildlife encounters continue to rise.