Hopping Here and There: Feel More African Than in Africa

It was one day in 1975. Leaders from several countries were discussing ways to become a perpetually neutralized state in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya in Africa. Also on hand was Marcos, the former president of Philippine. His birthday came in the middle of the meeting. Knowing of this, the other leaders said they wanted to give him a present, and asked Marcos what he wished for. Then, surprisingly Marcos asked for an African animal. Actually, no one can confirm the validity of this story. It has passed from one generation to another as a legend.

Whatever the reasons might have been, the African animals are still living in Philippine, which were shipped to there as a gift of the Kenyan president. Animals like giraffes and zebras captured and shipped from Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya are living in an island for 29 years.

The island is Calauit Island located to the north of Palawan Island, an hour away in banka boat from Dimakya Island where the Club Paradise is situated. Leaving Dimakya Island in banka for Calauit, which looks like an island seen in the movie Jurassic Park. Unlike Dimakya, I could not find any sand. After landing on the tidal flat where birds catch shellfish, I moved into the jungle swarmed with palm trees.

Wading across a stream, I could meet an 8-ton truck standing in the woods. The truck is equipped with remodeled passenger seats to accommodate tourists. Getting out of the woods, a heel welcomed us. Then, I encountered various kinds of the deer. Afraid of human beings, they ran away from the truck. Over the heel, a broad plain was unfolding before us. On it, zebras were seen running around.

It is told that the zebra has the most colorful pattern of spots among the animals. 10 including the young zebras were taking a rest in the shade made by a tree. Meeting a zebra is a rare event even in a game reserve in Africa. I have been to Africa for three times to shoot a film, but I had no chance to see it in person. To my great surprise, I got to see this creature here in an island in Philippine.

Then I found a giraffe wandering around in the bush by itself. Giraffes are hard to be found in safari parks in Africa these days. Having lived in this island for almost 30 years, it must have been accustomed to human visitors. But it seemed still wary of humans and ran away as I approached it.

The name of this Asia`s only game reserve (a game reserve refers to a safari park that lets African wildlife live in nature as they used to) is `Calauit Game Reserve and Wide Life Sanctuary.`

Going over to the management office located at the center of the reserve, I could find an information board that explains how the animals have been adjusted themselves to the life here. It must have not been easy for African animals to get accustomed to new life here in the tropical Philippine island.

Most managed to adjust to the new setting that is divided into a dry and a rainy season, but gazelles were all gone, apparently failing to adjust themselves to the new life. 104 heads of 8 different species first came over from Africa and the number has increased to 502 heads of 6 different species.

When I went down to the beach to get a boat back to Club Paradise, I found big footmarks of the giraffe. It must be an intriguing scene for the long-necked long-legged animal to wander around the beach. One lucky visitor might capture the image with his or her camera.

summer@donga.com