Cebu Zoo revived as Eco Park

CEBU, Philippines — The former Cebu Zoo is now being revived as the Cebu City wildlife resource and protection facility which will be called the Cebu City Eco Park.

Following its closure in 2016, Cebu Zoo is now being converted into a community-mixed habitat where both worlds of "flora and fauna" meet.

The ground-breaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday led by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

Coastal Management Board (CMB) and Cebu City Eco Park executive director Lemuel Felisario said it was few months back when the management of the Cebu City Eco Park was advised by Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) head Reymar Hijara about the P5 million budget allocation for zoo purposes.

"So we made use of that, mao tong among napapirmahan ni Mayor and facilitated by the Cebu City Administrator, Attorney Collin Rosell, atong October 4, so we are good to go," said Felisario.

The groundbreaking ceremony was intended for the creation of the community-mixed habitat which stands as a huge cage where animals can harmoniously live. These cages will be 24 feet tall and 50 to 100 square meters wide. The whole eco park is seven hectares in size.

Felisario said that the eco park can take care of animals such as giraffes, monkeys, and birds.

"So we have wildlife here, and it is also being backed by the proposed ordinance by Honorable Pastor Alcover which is called the Cebu City Wildlife Resource and Protection Facility, so this will also serve as wildlife protection as well," he said.

In the future, Felisario said they will house rescued animals from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) without going against the global animal advocates.

To do this, the eco park aims to be a house for animals that can freely roam around. To also ensure food security for the nearby barangays, the park also consists of aquaponics. The aquaponics will produce herbs and spices.

Inside the eco park is the site plan drawn on one of its walls. The clearing operation in the area began last October of 2022.

Among these are five community-mixed habitats for the animals, a crocodile pond, a hanging bridge that will direct tourists straight to the heart of the park, an amphitheater, bee farm, butterfly sanctuary, and a water catchment.

"It is actually a collaboration of the Coastline Management Board, nga makahimo tag water catchment diri para puhon og simbako naay mga flooding diri mahitabo, all those water will not go to waste and all the way down to city, masalo na nato diri," said Felisario.

Presently, Felisario is tapping the private sectors to help them in terms of budget to be able to realize the site plan. He added that their timeline will be determined based on the resources that they could accumulate in the future of any kind.

Felisario, however, said that currently they already received pledges of five animals including five tigers, five lions, and crocodiles.

"Atong mga donors (above-mentioned animals) ready na, but we are yet to do that as long as wala tay kabutangan nila, so we need the habitat, we need the crocodile pond," said Felisario.

To also encourage more donors of the park, Felisario said they came up with a program entitled "Adopt a Habitat'' wherein a business entity can adopt one cage. A memorandum of agreement will be signed wherein this entity will be entitled to take care of the animals housed in its cage.

According to Felisario, this program will be able to promote sustainability and maintenance of the housed animals.

Currently, Felisario also said they do not have any plan of importing animals adding that it will come later on. They are, however, looking forward to having animals from Palawan, Batangas and even in Mindanao in the near future. — /GMR (FREEMAN)