One of the smallest mammals thrive in Subic Bay

An Ayta jungle instructor displays a lesser bamboo bat (Tylonycteris pachypus), locally known as “Kabag” and said to be one of the smallest mammals on earth found in the Philippines, during a bird show at the Magaul Bird Park in the Subic Bay Freeport.

The bamboo bats, which may weigh from 3.5 to 5.8 grams, are endemic to Subic Bay with its large rainforest reserve, one of the biggest in the island of Luzon.

This species lives in the hollow of shoots of the giant bamboo Gigantochloa scortechinii; the entrance slit (created by the Chrysmelid beetle, Lasiochila goryi) to the bamboo tunnel is too restrictive for most predators, such as snakes. Flattened skull (to pass through entryway) and toe and wrist pads (to grip inner surface) are adaptations to their roosting site. Groups of up to 40. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Half-a-thousand birds show opens in Subic Freeport’s Jest Camp

Bird lovers and hobbyists have another reason to visit this Freeport with the opening here of the Magaul Bird Park, Jest Camp's newest tourism attraction, which offers the world’s first half-a-thousand birds show.

“Wings of the World,” produced by an all-Filipino team, unveils the majestic charm of birds found in forests around the world—from Africa to South America, to China and the Philippines.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Regulatory Group OIC Ruel John Kabigting, who was guest of honor during the park opening, lauded the newest addition to Central Luzon’s best tourist destination, saying this will attract more tourists, especially bird lovers.

“Magaul Bird Park is not only a park to go to in Subic, but a place to enjoy and learn the importance of caring for our environment, especially our forests,” Kabigting said.

He added that Wings of the World is an ambitious project. “This is the first in the world and no other theme park has ever done this before,” Kabigting noted.

For her part, Katrina Lacap, general manager of Magaul Bird Park, affirmed that the Wings of the World show presents an ensemble of “our bird buddies” with the underlying theme of environmental protection.

“For the first time ever in the world, Wings of the World’s grand finale will bring half a thousand birds on stage from all directions of the Alula Amphitheater here at the park,” Lacap told the opening day visitors.

Lacap said the show will feature hundreds of pigeons that circle the audience on their seats, hundreds of guinea fowls that descend towards the stage, as well as majestic hornbills and macaws that fly over them.

She added that the show will make the audience look up in awe as the giant wings of white-bellied sea eagle cast a shadow over them. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

PHOTOS:
[1] Park personnel show visitors various bird species at the Magaul Bird Park in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone during the recent launching of the “Flight of a Thousand Birds” show. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[2] SBMA Regulatory Group OIC Ruel John Kabigting joins the owners of the Magaul Bird Park led by Lito Lacap (far right)​ in Subic Bay Freeport in introducing the “Flight of a Thousand Birds” show during the recent park opening. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Subic unveils 1st motorized zipline in Asia

The Tree Top Adventure theme park has announced the upgrading of its facility in the Subic Freeport, including the introduction of the first motorized zipline course in Asia.

Tree Top Adventure CEO Ma. Camille Montejo said in a press conference on Saturday that their team-building facility at the Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp here contains facilities for two slow-paced and four fast-paced activities.

These include the so-called “Superman Ride,” which is the only motorized zipline course in Asia, Montejo added.

“If you want to see the forest and appreciate nature from the top of the trees, you could try the Canopy Ride,” Montejo said.

The entire ride, she added, has a hanging bridge and five stations, which can carry three persons at a time. The ride transfers from one tree to another.

“Meanwhile, for heart-pounding action, try the Superman Ride. It’s a horizontal motorized zipline where you’ll be soaring back and forth in less than a minute,” she added.

One slow-paced activity in the park is the Trekking Adventure, which is basically a tour of the area. During the trek, however, the tour guide introduces the visitor to local plants and trees, and share interesting facts about them.

Another activity is the “Parachute Fall” wherein the tourist goes upwards slowly, and is then quickly dropped after reaching the height of 75 feet. This activity, like that stunt in the movie “Mission Impossible” brings you back to the ground in a matter of seconds.

Members of the media who were invited for the team-building activity noted that the new Tree Top Adventure facility provides a venue to teach and gain camaraderie and leadership. While the activities are all motorized, participants learn to help each other and to lift their own weight.

With the newest attractions, the Tree Top Adventure park aspires to be among the most popular tourism draws here as the Subic Bay Freeport gears up for summer.

Montejo added that while some of the rides are high-adrenaline, the facilities are safe for everyone.

“We want to assure everybody that the facility is as eco-friendly as it can be. Safety is certainly our main concern here,” Montejo added. (JRR/MPD-SBMA)


PHOTOS:

[1-2] Visitors try out the various rides at the Tree Top Adventure theme park (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

[3-5] Tree Top Adventure visitors try out various team-building activities in the theme park (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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1st bird park in Luzon seen to boost tourism in Subic

Touted as the country’s premier survival course provider, JEST Camp opened its doors this month to bird lovers and enthusiasts all over the country with the launching of the Magaul Bird Park, the first bird park in Luzon, which is expected to boost tourism in this freeport.

Along with the introduction of the bird park was the launch of a bird show that showcased a hundred birds of different species, some of which belong to the endangered list.

Katrina Lacap, JEST Camp general manager said the bird park hopes to be recognized globally which also runs parallel with Subic’s aim of making it a world-class eco-urban center.

“JEST Camp is one with the local government in promoting both local and international tourism for Subic Freeport Zone while preserving the forest environment that is unique to the area. Companies in Subic including those involved in animal preservation are not competing among each other but rather working together to help promote Subic,” she said.

“Here (in Subic), we already have land (Zoobic Safari), marine/water (Ocean Adventure), and this time, we giving them Air (Bird Park). So kumpleto na kami dito. We want people to know that we’re promoting the province and not the individual businesses,” she added.

To achieve this goal, she said JEST Camp must become a center for sustainable living technologies and must create a haven for city dwellers inside a forest, a destination for nature lovers who want to learn about eco-friendly living.

Apart from the being the only bird park in Luzon, Lacap said it offers 10 other attractions, with three talk-and-feeding and two amazing shows. (Franco G. Regala, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTO:
A bird park trainer shows off how a red-vented cockatoo follows orders from her using hand signals and a whistle at the JEST Camp inside Subic Freeport. 

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