Listen, Palawan is calling

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Part of The Carolinian

Title: Listen, Palawan is calling
Creator: Jumalon, Julian N.
Language: English
Year: 1959
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Fulltext: Science E HAD tried several provinces in our collecting and exploring expeditions and found each of them interesting in different ways. Last summer, however, we finally had the long-awaited chance to try that most interesting strip of land called Palawan. Because of its isolation, scientists consider its fauna well worth studying. It has been honored with many scientific expeditions from foreign countries, ever since the days of Spanish occupation. Strange forms of animals and insects not found elsewhere in this country exist in Palawan, especially on the small island of Balabac to the south. Aside from its interesting fauna, Palawan is inhabited by three ethnic groups which add to the wealth of scientific subjects upon which interested researchers may draw their beads. There are the Bataks of northern Palawan, the Tagbanuas and the Palawans, whom Across the bridge toward Aboabo for new PRIZE CATCHES! and back again, with 2 kilos of wild pigs meat instead! (Last siuniner vacation, three faculty members of the USC biology department — Messrs. Julian Jumalon, Samuel Ochotorena, and Cristobal Plateros — teamed up with Mr. Saul Ochotorena, a USC zoology graduate who is now teaching at the San Isidro High in Malaybalay, explored the wilds of Palawan, and came back with pretty interesting scientific gains. Mr. Jumalon here makes some observations on their trip. The reader will pardon his partiality for butterflies: he is a lepidopterist. — Ed.) LISTEN , PALAWAN IS C we encountered in central Palawan, and whose territory extends to the far south in Coral Bay. The last two groups seem rather identical. Our ethnologist, Dr. M. Maceda, may, in the near future, shed more light on the main differences between these groups. The presence of these Non-Christians makes a scientific assignment to Palawan doubly interesting. In the fields ol Palawan, one is likely to cross the paths of other scientific parties which are simultaneously working at various points. There are a number of such places on earth that are the favorite rendezous' of scientists and explorers. One of the rarer joys of field-workers, aside from bagging rare specimens, is meeting fellow-scientists on the trail, at which time one involuntarily lifts his hat and greets, "Dr. Livingstone I presume" Strange enough, in some places you'll come across traces of recent occupation of clearings or inland sitios by explorers or naturalists, as there are always fresh "Kilroy-was-here" sorts of evidence left behind. Our party was stationed most of the time at Irawan, a barrio only fourteen kilometers from Puerto Princesa along the south road, and only about a mile from the foothills of the Stavely Mountain. Incidentally, Irawan is the gateway to the Iwahig Penal Colony, which stretches over forty kilometers. We were therefore making our daily forays in the danger zone infested by escaped convicts. This we later verified; it was not unusual to encounter patrols composed of trusted prisoners sent out to get the escapees, dead bt/ Nubian ^umaton or alive. Eventually we got used to the situation, which, at first, filled us with considerable trepidation and discomfort, and went about our business with less ado. People were simply puzzled why we stuck to that place to which cautious residents gave a wide berth. What made us stick in the fact that it is rich in lepidoptera; we were reluctant to leave it in favor of untried areas because of limited time. Our daily activities were mostly along the fourteen-kilometer stretch of the gradually ascending mountain road leading to the chromite mine. This is a well vegetated winding road, crossing streams a dozen times. Most of our butterfly treasures from Palawan were taken in this Pa g e 32 THE CAROLINIAN Science A Papilla palawanicus soars overhead, while the Lady Veil waterfall cascades down the rochs at Kalatlgas, to meander shoreward and mix with the Sulu Sea. To Professor Julian Jumalon and to Messrs. Samuel Ochotorena, Cristobal Plateros, and Saul Ochotorena, indefatigable explorers of life in the tvilds of our country, go our admiration and gratitude. He r ma n Ko n d r in g , S.V.D. Rector rich area. Even in mid-summer this region is rich in species belonging to the Papilionidae, Pieridae, Danaidae and Nymphalidae families. To deal with each interesting species' taken here would demand a lengthy discourse. Most of the forms occurring in Palawan are quite different from corresponding species found ALLING in other parts of the Islands. One is indeed tempted to claim that most of these insects have their origin in Borneo and other parts of the Indonesian islands. The isolation of Palawan no doubt, has developed these geographical forms through long adaptation to a different type of environment and climate. Another peculiarity of Palawan butterflies is the presence of a good number of mimetic forms. Many of these are Papilionids (swallowtails) which are supposed to mimic the members of the Danaid family (relatives of the Monarch), in order to enjoy immunity from the attacks by birds, reptiles and other known enemies of butterflies. In this case, the similarity of external structures and habits is striking. In this particular phase of lepidopterology alone, a never-ending fascination and interest is in store for the student of nature. Yale University, thru its vast array of materials in its comparative collection of insects, is extending its investigation in this field of study. In its ceaseless quest for more evidence from nature to substantiate the theory of MIMICRY, Yale University will find Palawan a rich area for abundant examples of this strange behavior of certain butterflies. Working in central Palawan for about five weeks is hardly enough to enable a researcher to establish all the pertinent facts on its butterfly fauna. However, even from this short space of time, it is feasible to With two weeks crop of beard and mustache, they thought they could terrorize and corner the Kalatlgas Daedalus ... advance some pertinent statements regarding some external features of lepidopterology. This will be dealt with in several articles, as a report on our expedition, intended for publication in the Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, a scientific quarterly published in the United States. This will help give foreign scientists a glance at our butterfly fauna and help promote the much desired exchange of ideas and techniques. Our country is well known for its rich insect fauna, but only a trickle of information and even materials has (Continued on page 34) JULY-AUGUST, 1959 Pa g e 33 Science Listen, Palawan is Calling (Coni'<1 from page 33) so far reached the outside world because of the rarity of researchers or lepidopterists in the Islands. Palawan is so rich in butterflies that even the moistureless summer days failed to affect their abundance in the lowland jungles and the mountainous areas. Our party encountered them along watercourses and in the woods bordering streams and creeks. The daily hunt by the four members of the expedition resulted in a rich haul of exotic species, adding about one hundred new species to the steadily expanding USC collection. In past expeditions to other islands, the field team invariably found themselves in a mood for celebration whenever they could return with even twenty new species. One can then imagine the significance of this venture into Palawan, considering the wealth of knowledge and information it will add to the present record of local lepidopterists. The party left Palawan just when the May rains began, and fresh and lovely, newly emerged butterflies were just commencing to stir. You can imagine with what reluctance our party packed up for the return journey, unwilling to leave behind them flower buds ready to burst under the blessed showers and mild sunshine of early June, which will, naturally, send forth legions of multicolored wings to dance and romance in the atmosphere while food lor the imaginal and immature stages are in abundance. Hence the title of this article. Faculty-Alumni • • • (Cont’d from page 22) fondest dreams of Dr. Paras, whose happiness, incidentally, spilled over to the HE kitchen where a sumptious dinner was served. News of that success must have reached the ears of some city officials, for the club was invited to take part in the Independence Day Celebration. Once again, the choristers buckled down to rehearse the songs. At present the club is again busy rehearsing for the Rector-Faculty Day in September. Now that the club has proved its worth, it has justified its reason for being and offers, among others, a channel for promoting brotherly understanding and closer friendly ties among faculty members and alumni of the university. With the wholehearted cooperation ol its members and with the vigorous moral support of the university administration, the organization looks forward to success in carrying out its multifarious plans, which are kept in cold storage in the mind of Dr. Paras, the Brains of the Club, ft Indeed Palawan is calling. . . calling those who have the means and time to continue the hunt, the observation and study of the seasonal forms of all the stirring life in its jungles and mountains. It is calling for virile young men and women to swerve from popular but overcrowded vocations and turn to the fertile fields of science where much pioneering work awaits them. Bright young minds are needed to fill the many gaps left by earlier researchers whose missions did not warrant their staying in the Islands long enough to complete what they had began. What little inconvenience one suffers in the field is amply compensated by the endless fascination of the work, meeting friendly and charming people, the contact with variform customs of different ethnic groups, the constant reunion with one's true self without the artificial mask is often won in the city, and the realization how generous in lavishly filling this little world with so many beautiful and interesting creatures. Not having tried it, no one can justifiably say that a life dedicated to science is not for him or her. A genius may lurk in an unsuspected crevice in your cranium, which the song of a bird, the sight of misty mountains or the aroma of sighing forests may jerk suddenly from its lethargy and perhaps give us a Filipino naturalist of the brilliance and enthusiasm of a Henri Fabre or a Karl von Linne. ft Entirely Personal (Continued from page 11) made a big jump from three stars to 13th place, as tne results of the last tactical inspection showed. The glamour that was the USC ROTC died an instantaneous death with that extraordinary "feat." No explanation is needed, but something snould be done about the instruction the cadets are now getting. • The Registration Procedure, as conceived by the "brains" of the Office of the Secretary-General, worked out quite successfully during the last enrollment season. Only a few troubles cropped up, although the system can stand some improvement. A suggestion was made that those in charge of the enrolment, especially those assigned in the issuance of classcards, should be properly briefed on their duties so that they will know how to advise the students. Another, a sort of liaison section should be created. New students found it very difficult to enroll without the help of one familiar with the registration procedure. No major complaints were heard, except that many students said our public relations were questionable. How some people managed their offices led some student to think they were facing a lion. A number wanted to enroll here but for one reason or another found it safer not to. • Of the total enrollment this semester, 62 per cent are women. A bystander said that it is no wonder there is so much noise in the campus ever since the classes have started in full swing. But that is entirely personal. • The organization of debating, dramatic and speech clubs is a healthy sign of an intellectual awakening on the campus. For years, this aspect of university training has been neglected either because there was no interest on the part of the studdents or there was no encouragement from the faculty. It is about time to give the organization a shot in the arm by way of joining it or giving it the facilities that it needs. • One of the most convincing proofs of our partiality for basketball is the fact that eagers get more applause, more privileges than writers do ... ft Pa g e 34 THE CAROLINIAN