A concerned individual in the city brought a sick brown-backed needletail bird to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) to help nurse it back to health on Monday, March 13.
According to Jaya Marie Escosura, who handed it over, the bird was given to her by her younger cousin, who claimed that a tricycle driver from Brgy. San Jose found it along the road.
Escosura notified the PCSDS that the brown-backed needletail (Hirundapus giganteus) was weak and sickly.
She said that she contacted the PCSDS by messenger and ultimately delivered the bird to its office in Brgy. Sta. Monica.
The bird is currently in the care of the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) for rehabilitation prior to its release into the outdoors.
The brown-backed needletail is a common swift species in Southern Asia.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as “least concern.” However, the PCSDS said that all wildlife species must be turned over to their office for proper management and that holding them as pets is illegal.
PCSDS encourages the public to contact the PCSDS Wildlife Enforcement Unit (WEU) through 09319642128 (TNT) and 09656620248 (TM) or through the PCSDS Front Desk Hotline at 0935-116-2336 (Globe/TM) and0948-937-2200 (Smart/TNT) for concerns about wildlife.
They can also be reached through Facebook on their official page.
