Eco Explorations

Did you know that the Bayawan Nature Reserve is a haven for birdwatchers? At least 60 bird species have been recorded in this lush lowland forest, including these birds photographed by Eco Explorer Jan Denn Arriba during our previous camp.

Go bird watching and learn about bird ecology at our Forest & Biodiversity Camp this September 19-20! Join us for a wild weekend while contributing to the conservation efforts of Talarak Foundation.

Limited slots only. Register at bit.ly/bayawancamp2026

Salamat sa lahat ng sumama sa aming Forest Ranger for a Day Learning Visit kahapon! 🌳💪🏼

Napakasarap magsama-sama para sa ikabubuti ng ating mga kagubatan at matuto tungkol sa kahalagahan ng pangangalaga sa ating kalikasan. 💚

Kahit may kaunting ulan, patuloy pa rin kayong nakilahok, naglakad, nag-obserba, at natuto kasama ang aming mga forest rangers. 🌧️🌿 Maraming salamat sa inyong oras, enerhiya, at malasakit sa ating mga kagubatan!

Hanggang sa susunod na Forest Ranger for a Day!

📸 Litrato mula kay Team Leader Kuya Mel

Calling Eco Explorers from Cebu, Dumaguete, and Bacolod (and anyone who wants to join)! Come explore Bayawan Nature Reserve with us this coming September 19-20 through our Forest & Biodiversity Camp 🌳

Tucked within the forests of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, the Bayawan Nature Reserve is a haven for biodiversity and a reminder of how much there is to protect in our natural landscapes. 🦌🐦 From its lush forests and waterways to the wildlife that calls these habitats home, every corner tells a story of nature and conservation.

Through this camp, you also get to support Talarak Foundation, Inc. whose primary goal is to conserve and restore the native wildlife of Negros through captive breeding, conservation education, research, public and political engagement, and releases of captive bred animals back into their natural habitats.

Limited slots only, first come first-served. Register through bit.ly/bayawancamp2026

LAST 4 SLOTS for BIOCAMP 2026!

Did you know that, aside from the iconic Tamaraw, several bird species can also be found in Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park?

A protected area designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park, Mts. Iglit-Baco is an important refuge for Mindoro’s unique wildlife and biodiversity. Its forests, grasslands, and mountain ecosystems provide habitat for a variety of endemic and native species—including birds that can be spotted throughout the park. 🐦

Here are a few of them taken by May Tumarao from our previous camp:
📸 White-bellied Woodpecker (Dryocopus javensis mindorensis)
📸 Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
📸 Coleto (Sarcops calvus)
📸 Philippine Jungle Crow (Corvus philippinus)

This BIOCAMP, go on meaningful and discover the wildlife that calls MIBNP home, while learning about the conservation efforts that help protect the Tamaraw and other species.

Register through bit.ly/biocamp2026

We’re ready to host another WILD weekend activity together with Talarak Foundation!

Our next Forest and Biodiversity Overnight Camp is happening on September 19-20 at the Bayawan Nature Reserve in Negros Oriental!

Explore lush forest trails with guided walks, potentially meet rare and endangered wildlife native to Western Visayas, and contribute to the conservation of these endemic species simply by joining since fees goes toward conservation efforts.

Whether you're coming from Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete, or beyond, everyone's welcome to be part of this immersive learning experience.

See the poster for full details. Limited slots available, first come first serve.
Register by September 5 at bit.ly/bayawancamp2026

Repost Raizza Acuzar from BIOCAMP last year. Join us this October 8-11 for a lifechanging experience 💚

— “This trip has been a wake-up call.
Hiking through Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP), seeing the rangers and wardens again, meeting new people who inspire, and spending time with the katutubo communities — it made me reflect deeply.

What are four days of seeing them compared to what they’ve been living through their whole lives? Who am I to claim that I understand?

As Ma’am Ōbí, one of the anthro-zoology experts we were lucky to be with during the camp, said: “Ang tao ay hayop. Ang hayop ay tao.” Everything is interconnected, that’s the anthropological and zoological truth.

The system of life doesn’t separate us from the rest of nature. We breathe the same air, share the same land, and rely on the same fragile balance. Those who emit and those who suffer, we’re all bound together, one way or another.

The tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), a dwarf buffalo found only in Mindoro, is critically endangered. Today, they survive in just four places: Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park, Upper Amnay, Aruyan-Malati, and Mount Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary.

Without conservation action, extinction is almost certain, especially in the smaller sites where the odds are already near zero. Only the herd in Mounts Iglit-Baco still stands a chance.”

This National Tamaraw Month, experience nature from a different perspective—through the lens of field-based conservation. Our annual BIOCAMP 2026 takes place this October 8–11 in the Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP)—and you don’t want to miss this special and rare opportunity!

Be guided by Tamaraw rangers throughout the experience and discover MIBNP’s rich biodiversity and landscapes along the trail. Get firsthand insight into what it takes to be a Tamaraw Ranger for a Day, learn about environmental conservation, and experience the realities and challenges of protecting wildlife in the field. More than an immersive field experience, BIOCAMP is an opportunity to develop your own voice as a conservation storyteller—using what you learn and experience to amplify the importance of protecting our country’s wildlife and remaining wild places.

BIOCAMP is our flagship initiative in partnership with the DENR - Tamaraw Conservation Program Office and the Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) Protected Area Management Office. Through this collaboration, we hope to transform participants into community scientists—individuals who not only learn about conservation, but also contribute to it through participation in research, fieldwork, and public education.

Only 10 slots are available for this year’s National Tamaraw Month celebration. Slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Register and read more about the program, requirements, and logistics at bit.ly/biocamp2026

Tara na! Akyat tayo para sa Tamaraw 🙌🏻

📸 Photos from Biocamp 2025 participants Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap, May Tumarao, Tina Jarabe

Our annual year-end nature and yoga retreat destination this coming November 28-30: Danjugan Island 🏝️

Did you know that the 43-hectare island has 5 lagoons, batcaves, is covered with limestone
and mangrove forests, and surrounded by seagrass beds and fringing coral reefs? The island is a refuge for many wildlife species that struggle to exist in the mainland.

By participating in our retreat, you get to explore this thriving sanctuary and also contribute to its conservation efforts. Limited slots with installment plans available, register via bit.ly/danjuganyearend

📸 photo from Keziah Barrido