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[ PCSD RESOLUTION NO. 13-480, August 02, 2013 ]

CONFIRMING THE ACTION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPROVING THE GUIDELINES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTER IN THE PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AS AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 8 OF PCSD ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 12, SERIES OF 2011

WHEREAS, on the 29^th day of July 2011, the PCSD approved the Detailed Guidelines in the Implementation of Republic Act No. 9147 and Joint DENR-DAPCSD Administrative Order No. 01 as may be made applicable in the province of Palawan now known as the PCSD Administrative Order No. 12, series of 2011;

WHEREAS, Section 8 of the said Guidelines provides that the PCSD shall establish wildlife rescue centers in Palawan based on a set of criteria that may hereinafter be promulgated with the assistance of Palawan Wildlife Management Committee ;

WHEREAS, the PCSDS s Environment and Natural Resources Committee, which exercises the functions of the Wildlife Management Committee, with the assistance of the PCSD Staff has deliberated and recommended the approval of the Guidelines for the Establishment and Management of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in the Province of Palawan;

WHEREAS, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee recommended the approval by the Council which the latter approved during its meeting held on February 22, 2013;

WHEREAS, since during the said meeting the members present failed to muster a quorum the body was constituted as an Executive Committee pursuant to PCSD Resolution No. 99-138, which provides that when a quorum cannot be constituted but the Chairman or the Vice Chairman is present and there are four other members present, the Chairman or the Vice Chairman may convene the group into an Executive Committee and proceed with the meeting. The action taken in the Executive Committee shall be confirmed in the next regular meeting ;

WHEREAS, in today s regular meeting, the approval of the Executive Committee of the subject guidelines is being presented for confirmation by this body in accordance with the above-quoted provisions of PCSD Resolution No. 99-138;

NOW THEREFORE, upon motion duly seconded, be it resolved as it is hereby resolved to confirm the action of the Executive Committee, as it is hereby confirmed, approving the Guidelines for the Establishment and Management of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in the Province of Palawan as an amendment to Section 8 of PCSD Administrative Order No. 12, series of 2011, to read as follows:

Purpose, Objective and Scope of Application

Section 1. Purpose. This is to ascertain the survival of the confiscated, rescued, turned-over or donated wildlife fauna species for ensuring biodiversity conservation.

Section 2. Objective. These guidelines aim to establish a standard procedure for the establishment and management of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers in the province of Palawan in order not to cause adverse effects of greater impact to species and its habitats pursuant to the Wildlife Act and its IRR, in accordance with the standard principles for establishing such and, with consideration of the biological, social/behavioral and physical requirements of wildlife fauna species as well as its zoogeography.

Section 3. Scope. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers shall only cover wildlife species confiscated in violation of RA 9147, PCSD Resolution No. 04-243 and PCSD Resolution No. 05-245 as well as those abandoned, injured, wounded, accidentally caught, turned over or donated to the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) including those rescued by the same office.

Definition of Terms

Section 4. Definition of Terms

4.1	The provision of Section 3 paragraph nnn which reads:
	nnn. Wildlife Rescue Center - refers to a repository of confiscated, donated, retrieved, turned-over or abandoned wildlife species; an establishment where sick, injured, confiscated wildlife are temporarily kept and rehabilitated prior to their release to their natural habitat or implementation of other modes of disposition as may be authorized under existing guidelines is hereby amended to read as follows: nnn. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center - repository of confiscated, donated, retrieved, turned-over or abandoned wildlife species; and, where sick, injured, confiscated wildlife are temporarily kept and rehabilitated prior to release to their natural habitat or implementation of other modes of disposition stated hereof.
4.2	Nest box or den - An enclosed shelter that provides a retreat area within, attached to or adjacent to a cage or enclosure, which shall provide protection from weather conditions and from extreme temperatures that are detrimental to the health and welfare of wildlife.

4.3	Elevated platform or perching area - A surface or structure, either natural or manmade, positioned above the floor, or above the grade level of the cage or enclosure, that will provide a resting area for the animal/s.

4.4	Gnawing and chewing items - Natural or artificial material that provide for the health of teeth, so as to keep teeth sharp, wear down enamel and promote general oral hygiene. Gnawing items should include but are not limited to logs and trees. Chewing items include, but are not limited to, woody stems, knuckle bones, and rawhide objects; suitability dependent upon species.

Disposition of Confiscated, Abandoned, Injured, Wounded,
Accidentally caught, Turned-over or Donated Live Wildlife

Section 5. The disposition of confiscated, abandoned, injured, wounded, accidentally caught, turned-over or donated live wildlife shall be the sole responsibility of the PCSD through its District Management Offices (DMOs). If in case the confiscation was conducted by a member of any enforcement agency, deputized Wildlife Enforcement Officer (WEO) or a Multi-partite Quick Response Team (MQRT), the same must notify the nearest DMO for proper disposition. Disposition shall be based on the following condition; to wit:

5.1	Wildlife in-heat, pregnant, supporting/feeding a young, still reliant on their parents for survival, or recovering from sickness, injuries or diseases must be immediately brought to the nearest Rescue Center;
5.2	Wildlife in distress such as suffering from severe or deadly diseases/injuries/wounds must be immediately brought to the nearest Rescue Center;
5.3	Recently caught wildlife species (juvenile, adult or a mother and young) may be released immediately to the capture site upon certification by the authorized wildlife expert/biologist/zoologist/veterinarian that the same wildlife is/are in good health;
5.4	Confiscated wildlife which is/are subject of judicial proceedings shall be brought to the nearest rescue center and shall not be disposed unless authority is obtained from the proper court.

With the foregoing, it is necessary for the PCSD to build and manage a temporary holding facility in its every DMO for temporary custody of wildlife while the final disposition of the subject wildlife has not yet been decided upon by the PCSD/S.

Accreditation of Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Section 6. Accreditation. Rescue and rehabilitation center shall be accredited by the PCSD to take temporary custody and care of all confiscated, abandoned, injured, wounded, accidentally caught, turned over or donated wildlife to ensure their welfare and well-being upon compliance with the provisions stated in Sections 9, 12, 13 and 14 hereof. Accreditation shall be covered by certain conditions that shall be imposed by the PCSD which shall include, among others, regular monitoring of the center by an authorized PCSD Staff and, submission of inventory, mortality and production reports (if applicable).

Accredited centers shall only accept wildlife disposed to them by the PCSD. Turn-over of said wildlife by the same agency to a rescue center determined by the PCSD/S shall be accompanied with the following applicable information on the subject wildlife; to wit:

a)	Identification of wildlife specifying its Scientific and Common Names
b)	Age categorized as Young/immature, juvenile or adult and sex/gender
c)	Source (Specific Site where the wildlife was captured)
d)	Date of Acquisition
e)	Mode of Acquisition (i.e. whether collected from the wild, purchased or donated)
f)	Classification (indicate whether Confiscated, Donated or Turned - Over)
g)	The condition of wildlife when turned over/donated/confiscated
h)	The place and date of seizure
i)	Accessories accompanying the wildlife, including quantity and detailed descriptions
j)	The name and address of donor or person from whom the wildlife was seized
k)	The investigative case file number with which the wildlife was connected
l)	Investigating body/officer

Transport of Wildlife

Section 7. Transport of Wildlife. An authorized representative of the PCSDS must always accompany the transport of confiscated, abandoned, injured, wounded and accidentally caught wildlife fauna species. The biology and behavior of wild animal shall be the prime considerations prior and during its transport such as those specified in Section 5 hereof, among others. The transport from the PCSDS or apprehension area to a rescue center determined by the PCSDS or, from apprehension area to the PCSDS shall abide by the standards set hereunder; to wit:

7.1	Animal Biology and Behavior. With consideration of the biology and behavior of the subject wildlife, the following shall be the general guidelines for transporting them

	7.1.1	Wild animals must be transported during the coolest time of the day.
	7.1.2	Nocturnal animals must be transported during the early mornings while diurnal animals at night time.
	7.1.3	In order to ensure the safety and health of wild animal in transit, it must be checked periodically especially during long trips
	7.1.4	If the travel time for transporting wildlife would take more than 12 hours, a rest period must be considered for feeding and watering subject wildlife without necessarily implicating disturbance. Suitable and sufficient food and, water shall be made available to the wild animals during this transport.

7.2	Transport Cage/Enclosure. Transport cage/enclosure shall be a secondary consideration for transporting wildlife, thus the standards hereunder are set for the purpose; to wit:

	7.2.1	Its design, size, and material must be appropriate to the type of wildlife species subject for transport and, must be sufficient enough to bear with the normal effects of transport. The design should prevent accidental opening and/or escape of the wild animal within.
	7.2.2	Its interior must be smooth, comfortable, and free from any protrusion, projection, or abrasive material that could be injurious to the wild animal within.
	7.2.3	It must have sufficient holes on at least three sides for adequate ventilation
	7.2.4	Its materials must not contain any chemical which may be harmful to the health and well-being-of the animal
	7.2.5	During transport, it must be placed in a well-ventilated area and protected from direct sunlight, excessive rain, extreme heat, noise, harmful gases and fumes.
	7.2.6	While on transit, it must be safe from declining, leaning and slipping or moving. Visual barriers must be set up to avoid from any disturbances.

7.3	Loading and Unloading. Loading and unloading of wildlife shall be done in accordance with the provisions stated below and those under Chapter 7 hereof:

	7.3.1	Loading and unloading of wild animals shall be done by an experienced or trained wild animal handler/s or supervised by a registered veterinarian/zookeeper.
	7.3.2	For air transport, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) rules, regulations, and requirements shall be observed.
	7.3.3	Drivers, captains, or pilots of transport vehicles must be oriented that any unnecessary or sudden vehicle motion may frighten and stress the animal.
	7.3.4	After unloading, wild animals must be immediately transferred to a (pre-determined) holding facility/area, and then transferred directly to the quarantine area of a rescue center.

Qualification, Requirements and Procedures for the Accreditation of a
Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center

Section 8. Qualification. Applicants for the accreditation of a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center should meet the qualifications enumerated hereunder; to wit:

Must be a member of a scientific institution or organization, academe, LGU
Must have sufficient knowledge on the biology; ecology; social, reproductive and feeding behavior; and, nutrition and diet requirement of wildlife
Must have technical expertise or experience pertaining to wildlife husbandry
Must be financially capable

Section 9. Requirements. Qualified applicants must comply with all the necessary requirements herein specified.

9.1	A Project Proposal which is in accordance with the standards set in Sections 12, 13 and 14 hereof. Further, the proposal must include the rehabilitation, reproduction (captive breeding) and IEC programs of the center;
9.2	List of animal caretakers who have undergone a training on animal-keeping/ zookeeping and certified by the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center or by a registered zoo keeper;
9.3	Wildlife Veterinarian
9.4	Cage location Plan
9.5	Tagging/Marking System for specific wildlife taxa
9.6	Resolution of endorsement from the concerned barangay, municipal/city LGUs and Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Section 10. Procedures. The following are the procedures for the accreditation of rescue and rehabilitation centers; to wit:

10.1	The concerned PCSD technical staff shall make an evaluation of all the documents submitted and verify/inspect on the ground all facts stated therein and submit an evaluation to the Executive Director.
10.2	The PCSDS Executive Director shall recommend to the Council the application whether to deny or approve the same.
10.3	Evaluation made shall be the basis of Council s action, whether to deny or approve the proposed center.

General Rules of Animal Handing

Section 11. General Rules of Animal Handling. The following are set of general guidelines that must be strictly observed in the operations of an accredited rescue and rehabilitation centers in the handling, transport, quarantine and care of wildlife.

11.1	Proper nets, cages, immobilization equipment, and drugs must be made available to personnel involved in the handling of animals. Animals must never be handled using equipment known to cause injury such as equipment in need of repair or inappropriate for the species.
11.2	Except in cases of life-threatening emergencies, animals must not be handled until all necessary equipment is on-site
11.3	All equipment and supply used in handling animals must be maintained in good working condition. Malfunction, damage or replacement needs should be identified immediately
11.4	If drugs are to be used during animal handling, an experienced veterinarian should be present
11.5	Complete records must be maintained on all handling procedures. Use a standard format that will allow the comparison of various techniques for different situations. Records should be maintained.
11.6	If possible, every animal handled should be weighed, measured, and given a complete physical examination. All data should be recorded on standard forms.
11.7	If possible, a fecal sample should be collected and preserved in 10% formalin for parasite examination. The container should be labeled with the animal species and date of collection.

Facilities and Equipments

Section 12. Facilities and Equipments. The PCSD/S shall only accredit rescue centers that meet the standards for facilities and equipment enumerated below; to wit:

12.1	Quarantine Room. It must be designed to avoid the introduction to the center of destructive pathogens that might be destructive or lethal to the established wildlife population thereat thus, must be fully equipped with facilities necessary for the purpose. It must be isolated from the other facilities defined in the succeeding paragraphs as well as from enclosures/cages at the center and, must have its own equipment kept separate from the others. Standard operating procedures must be developed pertaining to the following: a) arrival of wildlife at the center, b) quarantine access, c) husbandry, d) quarantine period and test/treatment, e) test outcome and follow-up

12.2	Food Preparation Room. Preparation of food must be done in a separate room meant for it alone. This room must be cleaned and disinfected after every use. Food and water containers should be kept clean and washed between every use. Refrigeration equipment must be assigned in order to keep the food fresh in cases where daily marketing or procurement of food is not possible.

12.3	Clinic/Isolation Room. This room must be designed to treat injured or sick rescued wildlife. This must be fully equipped with facilities necessary for the purpose such as, among others, a holding facility for wildlife that needs to be observed and confined until fully recovered.

12.4	Incubation Room. This room equipped with incubators must be used for neonates and those suffering from hypothermia, severe emaciation and other conditions that render animals weak or unable to thermoregulate. Sick, injured, unconscious or semi-unconscious adult animals must also be housed in incubators or enclosures that are temperature-controlled.

12.5	Necropsy Room. All the animals that die in captivity or during handling should be given a complete post-mortem examination by an experienced veterinarian or trained individual that must be performed in the Necropsy Room. Tissue samples no thicker than 1 cm should be collected from the animal that died and these samples should be preserved in 10% buffered formalin. A complete written report on all post-mortem findings should be prepared and records maintained.

Foot-disinfecting material or disinfectants must be placed in the entrance of every facility stated above.

Foods, Feeding and Hygiene

Section 13. Foods, Feeding and Hygiene. Accredited rescue and rehabilitation center must ensure to comply with the standard protocol listed below pertaining to wildlife foods, feeding them and applying proper hygiene; to wit:

13.1	Must have a feeding program prepared for wildlife kept in enclosures, quarantine and isolation rooms based on their diet, feeding and nutritional requirement.
13.2	Fresh and natural food must be included in the said program.
13.3	Foods should be presented in as natural way as possible for the wildlife to forage
13.4	All food items must be washed or rinsed in clean water before feeding.
13.5	A mild disinfectant should be used for routine cage cleaning and food preparation areas. When a cage or holding area is being prepared for a new animal, a more potent disinfectant should be used. After disinfecting, the cages should be rinsed with water and allowed to dry.
13.6	Staff should wear gloves and possibly face masks when cleaning cages (particularly primates). Workers should wash hands, change uniforms and boots, and use different cleaning tools between areas to prevent the spread of disease between animals.
13.7	To ensure proper care and supervision, staff should fill out daily logs on observation, feeding and cleaning.

Enclosures/Cages

Section 14. Enclosures/Cages. Enclosure/cage must be specifically built and designed according to the behavior of wildlife so as to reduce and mitigate captive stress. Space availability must be sufficient in order to allow wildlife a full range of normal movement. Materials used must be safe and do not damage integument, fur or feathers. It must also provide protection from the elements or predators.

To ensure general welfare of wildlife, the following conditions must be considered for holding them more than 3 days or permanent:

14.1	All enclosures/cages should have protection from sun, rain and wind, and should have easy access for food, fresh water and daily cleaning
14.2	All enclosures shall be equipped with a shelter(s)/nest box(es) large enough to accommodate all the animals in the enclosure simultaneously.
14.3	All enclosures shall have an accessible non-injurious device to provide physical stimulation or manipulation such as gnawing and chewing items. etc. compatible with the species.
14.4	All enclosures must have a bathing pool or a water sprays depending on the species need
14.5	Carnivores should have hide or den boxes. Bearcats, leopard and civet cats should have branches, logs, climbing structures and shelves for resting and should have an attached shift area for cleaning of the enclosure
14.6	Arboreal or semi-arboreal species such as perching birds, some reptiles and binturongs should have a perch, branches or climbing structures
14.7	Nocturnal species should have a hide box placed high for arboreal species
14.8	Monkeys should have shelves, branches and climbing structures and an attached shift area for cleaning
14.9	Reptiles and Amphibians must be housed in a temperature-controlled enclosures (eg. terrarium or aquarium)

Assigning the location of wildlife enclosures must consider certain factors such as, among others, compatibilities between and among wildlife species; social interaction; visual, olfactory, auditory and tactile stimulation; predator-prey relationship principles; vegetation and wind direction.

Disposition of Wildlife at the Center

Section 15. Disposition of Wildlife at the Center. Disposition of wildlife at the accredited Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center shall be approved by the PCSD/S upon the recommendation of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee (ENRC-PCSD) based from the latter s assessment of wildlife at the center. Three options shall be considered for the said disposition from which a choice must depend on the conservation value of the animals involved, the condition of the animals, the circumstances in the trade of the species and other threats to the population of the species in the wild such as habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation. These options are the following:

1)	Maintain Wildlife at Rescue Centers. It shall be ruled that wildlife at rescue centers with high conservation value should be maintained thereat to ensure their availability for conservation efforts over the long term such as ex-situ research program or an established captive breeding program or facility. Threatened, rare and/or endemic wildlife species that cannot be released must be placed in the rehabilitation and reproduction (captive breeding) programs of the center while non-threatened and/or common species may be used for educational purposes eg. public display.

2)	Return Wildlife to the Wild. Returning the animals to the wild may be done provided that it is in accordance with the provisions stated under Section 12 of RA 9147 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) including the requirements and procedures stated thereat. Provided further, that the pre-release, release and post-release monitoring programs are established; and, the pre-requisite veterinary, genetic and other screening procedures are undertaken.

3)	Euthanize. This type of disposition may be opted only in the following instances; to wit:

	a)	The wildlife kept at the center has acquired a chronic disease that is incurable and with potential to pose a risk to other captive and wild animals.
	b)	The actual origin of the animal is unknown, and it is determined that it is genetically different from its presumed con-specifics in the wild; and,
	c)	There are insufficient resources to return the animals to the wild in accordance with the conditions for doing such stated in #2 above (return wildlife to the wild).

Prohibited Acts, Penalties & Administrative Adjudication

Section 16. The provisions of Chapter VI on prohibited acts and administrative penalties and Chapter VII on administrative adjudication of cases under of PCSD Administrative Order No. 12, series of 2011, shall apply to this guidelines.

Section 17. Applicability of other Provisions of PCSD Administrative Order No. 12, series of 2011. Other provisions of PCSD Administrative Order No. 12, series of 2011, as may be found relevant and applicable to rescue and rehabilitation centers are hereby adopted as integral part of this Guidelines.

Repealing Clause

Section 18. Repealing Clause. All Orders, Memoranda and other policies inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or amended accordingly.

Effectivity

Section 19. Effectivity. These guidelines shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication at the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the UP Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City.

APPROVED and ADOPTED this 2^nd day of August 2013 at Puerto Princesa City.

xxx xxx xxx

I hereby certify that the above-quoted resolution has been duly approved and adopted on the 2nd day of August 2013 at Puerto Princesa City.

(SGD.) ROMEO B. DORADO
Secretary

Attested:

(SGD.) JOSE CH. ALVAREZ
Chairman