LOOK: One (1) Night Heron and Four (4) reticulated pythons turned over to DENR Central Visayas.

DENR-7 Conservation and Development Division (CDD) Biologist Reginaldo G. Bueno retrieved One (1) Rufous Night Heron or nycticorax caledonicus that was rescued and turned-over by Ms. Cherry Piquero-Ballescas, author, a resident of Canangcaan, Mandaue City after reporting about the said wildlife.

The Rufous Night-Heron is a stocky rufous and white heron with a black crown and white head plumes when breeding. It is also a nocturnal bird, feeding primarily at night and in the morning and evening. It is partially migratory, depending on the persistence of suitable feeding and nesting conditions, some populations are sedentary, others nomadic, moving around response to rainfall and flooding events to take advantage of newly opened foraging conditions according to the IUCN-SCC Heron Specialist Group.

More wildlife were also rescued by the City Disaster Reduction Risk Management Office (CDRRMO) led by Mr. Ramil V. Ayuman, four (4) reticulated phytons (Malayopython reticulate) were retrieved from different barangays in Cebu City and turned-over to the Regional Office, DENR-7 on December 03, 2020.

Reticulated python is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world’s longest snake and listed as least concern on the IUCN Red list because of its wide distribution. The reticulated python get its name for the “reticulated” or netlike pattern on its back. This pattern is an impressive camouflage that allowed these snakes to hide from their prey.

The rescued wildlife species were now sheltered in the Regional Wildlife Rescue Center for safekeeping and monitoring for its health or injury before releasing it back to the wilds.