Simply Butterflies Conservation Center

From the Chocolate Hills, Kuya Ricky took us to the Butterfly Sanctuary in the next town of Bilar. From the road, it wasn’t really noticeable, but what’s so good about this place was that there is a designated tour guide who really explains everything there is to know about butterflies - the difference of the pattern, how to know which is male and which is female, and a whole lot more. K and I are very amazed at how much knowledge we’ve learned about these fascinating creatures.

The Simply Butterflies Conservation Center was the first butterfly livelihood program in Bohol. It’s purpose was to protect and strengthen the natural environment of the butterflies, through plant research, breeding and releasing.

According to the guide, there’s a butterfly enclosure where they keep the butterfly and some of them they release in order for them to breed in the wild. They also breed butterflies for export and selling - which then helps fund the center.

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Destination Bohol: Getting There, Things to Do

Bohol is best known for being home to those little critters called tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills. For me, though, it will always be the place of mind blowing beaches. So how can you enjoy this experience yourself?

Getting There
There best and easiest way to get there would be to take a plane straight to Tagbilaran City, the capital. Do not be surprised, though, as the city isn't much to look at. It looks like a run down town, but since you will not be going there for the city anyway, it does not matter.

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Bohol for a bit

After a fantastic Christmas in snow filled Vancouver, it was finally time to start my best friend’s Asian Invasion. I’m not quite sure how it happened but somehow GMA (the President of the Philippines) managed to make most of the days between Christmas and New Years a holiday! Something about encouraging people to travel and promoting tourism. It worked because we were headed to Bohol! Though my family grew up here in the Philippines, none of them had seen the Chocolate Hills. Perfect no?

I arrived at 6 in the morning, ran home to pack a few last minute things and we were out of the house not too long after. We took Cebu Pacific where ‘Every Juan flies’ har har Personally, I prefer it over PAL. The planes seem newer and the staff much more fun. Plus they are the only airline that plays dumb games up in the sky. When we arrived in the TINY airport of Tagbilaran, the van from our resort was waiting. The ride to Amarela was only about a half hour. Tagbilaran is actually on the main island where as the resort was on Panglao, a nearby island. The two are connected by a small land bridge.

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The Endangered Philippine Tarsier: One of the Tiniest Mammals, But Owns the Biggest Eyes

The Philippine tarsiers are one of the smallest primates in the world but own the largest eyes. In their diminutive physical make up, they appear benign and lovely. Sad to know, they are now endangered, but people love to capture these humble and submissive animals in order to keep them as pets.

The Philippine tarsier, as its name indicates is endemic to the Philippines; albeit, around 45 millions years ago, they were known to populate rainforests around the world. They are primarily found in the island of Bohol and Leyte in Central Philippines and in the remaining rainforest of Sarangani Province, near the southernmost of the country. However, as human population continues to grow, farming as the livelihood of many of the common Filipino folks increasingly become extensive, disturbing much of the natural habitats of these primates that qualify as one of the smallest around the world.

More @ Scienceray

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