15 critically-endangered crocodiles released to Dunoy Lake, Isabela

San Mariano, Isabela - Fifteen crocodiles that belong to crocodilian species considered critically endangered were released to their natural habitat on Tuesday, March 5.

Their release, apart from saving their species from extinction, is in celebration of World Wildlife Day.

The freshwater Philippine crocodiles have been raised at a breeding center prior to their release at Dunoy Lake, which is located within the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in San Mariano, Isabela.

As they were sent to the wild, they were also given names by the event’s attendees, deepening their connections to the community surrounding the lake.

Their release was organized collaboratively by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2, PENRO and CENRO Offices, LGU San Mariano, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Agta community, and the Women’s Association in San Mariano.

Beyond the preservation of endangered crocodiles, the Makabuwaya Foundation, which is behind the conservation program, said the event underscores the crucial importance of human-wildlife coexistence.

The foundation likewise emphasized the reptile’s role in ecological balance, thus the need for their conservation.

To ensure the crocodiles’ safety in their new homes, Vice Mayor Dean Anthony Dumalanta of San Mariano committed to closely monitoring the reptiles at the lake.