It was a bright afternoon when I finally put end to almost two months travel lull. Since time could still set restraint to my inner urge to go somewhere, proximity became my top consideration. So after going through clustering and elimination of the places nearest from my place, the last to remain steadfast is Malabon Zoo.
Pathway of Malabon Zoo
Indian Python
I have passed by at Malabon Zoo for more than a hundred times before I sauntered inside. There are two reasons why I preferred to skip and ignore the park: first, I have this gut-feel that there is no extraordinary in the zoo; and second, it’s located near the highway and in a city where all kinds of pollutions are very palpable. I have always viewed a wildlife park surrounded by woodlands; besides, I believed that I have visited the best zoos in the country — once in Avelon Zoo and twice in Zoobic Safari. So for me, there’s no point on seeing other zoos which I surmise not better than the two.
Sshhh… Don’t disturb him. He’s asleep.
I think he’s hungry.
Tiger roams in his coop.
Recently, we were hounded by mounting controversy in Manila Zoo and the brewing word war between its administrator and People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Witnessing the tensions of both parties (PETA and Manila Zoo administrator) changed my perspective on animals which supposedly enjoying the vast wild but being caged and nurtured in a sanctuary for public viewing. This incident has gone a long way by inducing alacrity and curiosity in my blood to visit Malabon Zoo. Maybe you are wondering why not visit Manila Zoo instead so I would know the real condition of the animals there. Aside from the fact that doing such would consume much of my time, information from blogs, news articles and broadcast media clogging in my mind were enough to keep me cultured on the current state of Manila Zoo. And no! I didn’t intend to police the owner/s of Malabon safari park nor expose anything unusual that would possibly harm the creatures under their custody, which in the long run would ignite rage among Filipinos or groups protecting animals’ welfare. My genuine intention was to find out how different it is from other wildlife parks in the country.
Brown dear. I think there are more or less 15 of them inside.
Malabon Zoo is an abode not only of various creatures of faunas but also of friendly staff. It was the first thing I noticed when I stepped inside and paid for my ticket. I don’t need to be welcomed by a band; affable smile from a person manning the ticket booth was enough to create a positive vibe in the atmosphere.
Kodiak or Alaska brown bear
Himalayan black bear
At least five families and I shared the whole park that day. The zoo has no tour guides. Upon entering, I had to tour it my own. I found it unusual though comparing it to my previous experiences where we were accommodated by a tour guide who explained the do’s and don’t’s and crucial details about the animals during the whole course of the trip. But apparently, the size of the park has given precedent that a tour guide is not necessary since it can be toured in 30 minutes if you opted to frisk photo ops.
Guess what this monkey is thinking.
Perfect picture of star-gazing at night.
For me, this concept sorts advantages and disadvantages. Touring the zoo alone gave me the real “feel” of the park since I was not pressured by time and I need not worry with my groupmates—whether or not I was going ahead or being left behind was not a concern anymore. I also got the chance to talk to some animals which I knew I would be shy of doing if someone was beside me or a tour guide was leading me. I’m sure they would laugh at me discretely if it was a group tour. In a way, it kept me out of trouble (because whoever laughs at me gets what he deserves. Kidding). Having ample time of my own also bequeathed me the chance to go back and forth whenever I want to so I could capture the right angle of some animals I wanted my lens to seize.
Posters around the zoo explaining some facts about the animals were ubiquitous which would only be beneficial to those who can read and discern them. These were attached to the cages and enclosures. Nevertheless, it’s not beneficial for children who don’t know how to read and needed to be guided properly albeit they were being accompanied by their parents or guardians. I believe that tour guides will serve as stewards of children and students to be able to understand fully the important roles of wildlife in the world and how to take care of them. It still tumbles under best practices to arm the young generation with facts about the animals and how to establish a harmonious relationship with them while they stay in parks. I didn’t see this though as a mistake, I saw this as an opportunity to improve the zoo.
Marimar, the famous Orangutan in the country.
Peacock
One of the zoo’s biggest crocodiles.
Turtles
What really caught me throughout my entire visit was the meekness wanted to demonstrate by the management of the zoo. Reminders and placards on how us — humans — would be of service in taking care of the animals and of our environment were displayed around. Anywhere I look reminded me that I shall do my part to save what I enjoy now — from lyrics of songs to quotations to verses from bible, everything was inspiring.
What’s in the nutshell?
Do you prefer animals to stay in their natural habitat or you want to see them in parks? I’m happy to see wild animals in flesh and I appreciate the rare opportunity I have to interact with them, however if they will be unheeded and will only be harmed, it’s much better to free them. In Malabon Zoo, I observed that animals were receiving the care they needed. Yet, I still wish its area is bigger.
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Let me stress that I haven’t had the chance to talk to the owner of Malabon Zoo. The first-hand information that they don’t have tour guides was relayed to me by the staff and of course derived from my personal experience. I don’t know if the management provides tour guides to cater group tours like school trips. If any of my readers has knowledge about it, you can leave a comment here and I’ll be more than happy to update this post.
DIALOGUE WITH A WANDERER 