Talarak Foundation

Talarak Foundation
TFI Monthly report - July 2014
Young Visayan Writhed Hornbills (Aceros Waldeni) were transferred to the big aviary for a good
development of breast muscles and improvement of their general physical condition. Now at the age
of 3-4 months sexual dimorphism starts to show up. On the previously yellow non-feathered ocular
and throat part of the skin blue spots started to show. This confirmed the estimate that in the group
of four birds there is just one female.
Young female of Visayan Writhed Hornbill.
Young male of Visayan Writhed Hornbill.
The whole group.
Preparing of the aviary.
22.7. Regular deworming and delousing of Mindanao Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax
mindanensis).
25.7. During the daily checking of animals we realised that one of the Jirina's piglet was injured
(probably bitten by sow Dana). When we tried to catch and check it in separation enclosure the tiny
piglet instead of common behaviour, like trying to run away, started to attack our keepers and ended
up biting the wellies of one of them. Luckily, the only one who had them. We used disinfectant spray
F10 to clean the wounds and applied antibiotics amoxicillin. Hope the piglet gets better soon.
10.7. ringing of Coletos 3 clutch (Sarcops calvus).
27.7. two Coletos fledged from the nest.
On the 30.7. fledged one Mindanao Writhed Hornbill (Aceros leucocephalus) from the nesting box in
the satellite Punta Ballo Rescue and Breeding Centre and 31.7. fledged two individuals in Talarak.
31.7. When taking pictures of Negros Bleeding-heart Pigeons (Gallicolumba keayi) we realised that
the youngest female from three pairs had something wrapped around her leg. We caught her and
removed the string.
We have been keeping these extremely rare pigeons in the Centre from 3.3. 2014, but still we have
not been successful in their breeding. In May, the oldest pair laid an unfertile egg. Although Negros
Bleeding-heart Pigeons vocalize regularly in the morning hours, they still have not laid another clutch.
In June extremely rare Blue-naped Parrot (Tanygnethus lucionensis salvadorii) and Philippine
Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) died. The necropsy showed that the birds had been infested by
roundworms and the spots on their livers had probably been caused by secondary infection. To
prevent mortalities we moved the other birds to quarantine cages that have no access to the ground,
we gave them sulfaclozin and they were dewormed by levamisole and mebendazole. In the mean
time we repaired the aviaries that will serve for these two species.
In these cases field clinic, where we could treat sick animals and carry out the necessary
examinations and procedures would be very helpful.
Male of Blue-naped Parrot
Colon full of roundworms.
Male of Philippine Cockatoo
Hanging aviaries that unable contact with the faeces and ground so prevent reinfection with
parasites.
The females of Philippine Spotted Deer with their fawns were released to the rotation exhibit.
As another part of securing good health of animals before the rainy season the enclosures of Visayan
Warty Pigs (Sus cebifrons negrinus) and Philippine Spotted Deer (Rusa alfredi) were filled with rice
hulls. 12 trucks were used to keep our animals dry and clean. Everything was financed by the
donation from our president Dino Gutierrez (20 000 pesos).
July 2013.
July 2014.
Regular fixing of rehabilitation/before-release aviary. It is quite a risky job, but Filipino keepers can
handle it without problems.
As every year at the end of the main breeding season, cutting of the trees in order to prevent their
falling on the aviaries during typhoons took place in Talarak. The branches were then used as
enrichment for birds.
In the mean time the majority of operational budget of TFI is provided from Feather Park (FPI) duly
accredited bird farm.
Blue-and-gold Macaw (Ara ararauna)
Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
Report compiled By:
Pavel Hospodarsky and Zuzana Panovska
Talarak Foundation Inc.
52 Coloso Street,
Kabankalan City 6111
Negros Occidental, Philippines