Inside WWF Philippines

by Yeb Sano

Saving the environment may sound like a self-indulgent affair, where one engages in pseudo-philosophical gymnastics and concludes “hey, we only got one planet… we’ve got to take care of it.” Mother Earth would no doubt be flattered. However, such a mindset will most likely raise more questions (and eyebrows) than provide solutions. “Is Mother Earth really as simple as a blue and green blob? Is Mother Earth even a mother? Is it even correct to refer to Mother Earth as one singular being? Is saving the environment as simple as ‘stop this, stop that’. What the hell do I have anything to do with endangered species or with disappearing coral reefs?”

Many years in conservation work has taught us that saving nature is not about saving nature. Yes, it sounds circular but strangely enough, everything is part of a big circle. Maybe that’s what Mother Earth really is – a big circle. And definitely, people are an integral part of the circle. We save nature not for nature, but for the survival and development of the human species. Anyone who believes that we should rid this planet of people so that it can flourish is either thoroughly dimwitted or totally being a bloody hypocrite.

Actually, ridding earth of humans is not at all that hard. We can just go on with our business as usual and not too long we will be extinct. We are actually doing a pretty good job at getting our species gone forever. So how easy is it to make humans extinct? What does the human species need to survive? Sunlight, yes but should go with the correct balance of greenhouse gases. Sex, we’ve had too much. Food, definitely. Freshwater, definitely. The equation is quite straightforward. The truth is, we’re seriously jeopardizing the balance in the equation.

Apparently, decimating the human species is not rocket science. We are doing it when we keep the faucet running while brushing our teeth, when we don’t segregate our trash, every time we forget to turn off the lights or the television, when we buy stuff we don’t really need and a lot of really simple everyday mistakes. More sophisticated groups of people have found more efficient ways to darn our species, but ordinary people are as blameworthy as these multi-million dollar culprits. Pardon the cliché, but “for evil to triumph, it is enough that good people do nothing.”

Today, we face a myriad of environmental issues both domestically and globally. We’ve heard of climate change, global warming, sea level rise, droughts, super typhoons; the “day after tomorrow” doomsday stuff. We’ve also witnessed plummeting fish catch, decreased soil fertility, vanishing forests, scarcity of freshwater. It’s crazy, really.

But the more serious problems are not really those that can be measured by thermometers, data loggers, anemometers, barometers, computers, or through physical or biological studies. The more serious problems are those things that happen between people, within communities of people, and whole societies. Greed, hate, apathy, indifference, more greed, distrust…

So, after all, in order for the human species to survive, food and water are not enough. We need compassion, love, benevolence, fairness, solidarity. To paraphrase Robert Fulghum’s words, ‘all we really need to save the world we learned in kindergarten.’

Let’s leave our children a loving planet.

by Lory Tan

Sometime in the stormy seventies, Ferdinand Marcos agreed to take on a shipment of African animals, purportedly to protect them from getting wiped out in one of Africa’s many civil conflicts. He built an ark on a 3,000 hectare island called Calauit, and shipped in small herds of eland, bushbuck, waterbuck, impala, zebra and giraffe. There were people living on Calauit. No problem, this was martial law. So, he had them moved. There were other endemic wildlife , such as calamian deer, monkeys, monitor lizards, eagles, snakes, wild boar and parrots, that called the island home. No problem, let them live side by side, he decided. At some point, Philippine crocodiles were brought in, as were mouse deer, bearcats and peacock pheasants. This ark became a menagerie. A colourful, rather expensive, zoo at the edge of nowhere, which very few people ever visited.

by Joel Palma

Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas, copyright WWF-Canon / Roger Hooper

BusinessWorld’s associate editor had a great time in Palawan gazing at indigenous and alien wildlife: bayawaks, mouse deer, zebras, giraffes and of course, turtles. It’s a great celebration of local tourism – but not so ‘eco’. The image of a turtle hatchling in the palm of a human hand was disturbing and spurred this article. Equally disturbing was the good intentions of Club Paradise where hatchlings are kept for a month until they are ‘strong’ enough to resist predators, giving them a better chance for survival.

by Lory Tan

World exports of shark fins have grown from 2 670 tonnes worth US$13.0 million in 1976 to 6 300 tonnes (US$90.4 million) in 1997, the peak year in volume. Re-exports in this year amounted to about 2 000 tonnes (US$20.0 million) with Hong Kong as the main reporting country.

In 1997 China was the leading exporter of shark fins with more than 2 400 tonnes (US$32.7 million), followed by Hong Kong (where 99.9% were re-exports), Indonesia and Japan.

In 1994 Singapore was the second largest exporter of shark fins with about 1 000 tonnes but in the following three years there were no reports of these exports to FAO. In 1995 a sharp decline was experienced in total exports, as China did not report its exports and imports of shark fins to FAO that year.

In 1997 Asian countries accounted for 98.1% of the total volume of exports. Central and Latin America contributed 0.3% and 1.6% came from Africa.

FAO data shows an increase in world imports of shark fins from 3 700 tonnes worth US$20.0 million in 1976 to 7 025 tonnes worth US$55.5 million in 1997, the highest volume reached to date.

China is also the major importer of shark fins with about 4 400 tonnes (US$24.8 million) in 1997, followed by Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.

In 1994 Singapore was the second largest importer of shark fins with 1 200 tonnes but it has not reported its shark fin imports for the following three years. The consistent decline in 1995 is linked to China not reporting its shark fin imports to FAO, as also seen for exports.


Asian countries imported 98.6% of world imports in 1997.

As apex predators, sharks exert a profound influence on the balance and future productivity of marine fisheries throughout the world. It is estimated that 100 Million sharks are slaughtered each year.