Among the many beautiful tropical islands in the Philippines, Calauit is indeed a delightful anomaly. It is part of the Calamianes, a cluster of islands in Northern Palawan that is famous for pristine white sand beaches, limestone karst formations and excellent shipwreck dives. Calauit has none of these though, but instead has African wildlife freely roaming all over the 3,400 hectare island.
The animals' long journey from Kenya began in the 70s when President Ferdinand Marcos declared Calauit as a game preserve and wildlife sanctuary by virtue of Proclamation No. 1578. He then ordered a total of
104 heads of 8 exotic animals: bushbucks, elands, gazelles, giraffes, impalas, topis, waterbucks and zebras to help propagate these African species.
![the animals]() |
| L-R: Some of the animals at Calauit: zebras, elands, giraffes, porcupines and Calamian deer. Our guide told us that we were lucky that morning because we saw the eland, which rarely come out at this time of the day. |
Aside from adjusting to the tropics, these animals have to coexist with other endemic Philippine animals that were also introduced in the island
to also preserve and to propagate their dwindling kind. These are the Calamian Deer, the Philippine Crocodile, and the Palawan Bearcat among many others.
When my friend and I went to Coron early this year, we ditched another island hopping tour just so we can visit Calauit. Since we could not find other people to join us and split the cost of an A/C van or an outrigger boat, we rode on motorbikes instead. Later on, we would realize that this decision paid off as we also got to see and experience the Western portion of the Busuanga mainland.![various]() |
| Upper left then CW: Malacachao port, walking towards the pavillion, visitor center at the CGPWS. |
After 3 hours on the road, we finally arrived at Malacachao. A small boat then transported us to the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary (CGPWS). A family on vacation arrived a few minutes later, which also shared the truck rental with us. This truck took us around the island but we ocassionaly stopped a few times to see the animals from a safe distance.
It is indeed amazing to note that after more than three decades, the animals are still roaming around Calauit. A 2005 survey showed that most of the remaining species have infact increased in number. What is worrysome to note however, is the fact that this was achieved largely, through in-breeding which is very detrimental to the animals in the long run. Due to budget constraints, no additional animals have been introduced to the flock since 1977. When I asked our tour guide that morning if there was also a resident veterinarian who could look after the animals he answered that there was none.
This is not the only issue that continue to haunt the helpless animals at Calauit. Back in the 70s, the bamboo forests were all cut down to recreate the animals' barren habitat in Africa. The Tagbanuas, who were the original inhabitants in the island, were then relocated to nearby islands as a result. But in 2010, they were granted certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT) of Calauit. This means that they have the sole rights to live and to develop Calauit which has been their home long before the first giraffe ever set foot on the island. However, some local government units in Palawan questioned the legality of the CADT.
What would happen next to the remaining giraffes, zebras and all the animals in Calauit is anyone's guess indeed. It is quite a complex issue,
one that straddles between looking after the animals' welfare and addressing the long struggles on an indigenous people group. I could only hope that the Tagbanaus, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSDC), the Provincial Government of Palawan and the rest of Calauit's present stakeholders could come up with a realistic solution very soon as the animals' future depend on their policies, their cooperation and their mutual understanding.
But for the time being, I am just happy that we were able to experience an African safari, (or a resemblance of the real deal that is) in a tropical country such as the Philippines. Calauit may indeed be a delightful, albeit complicated anomaly, but it is still one interesting destination that should be experienced in this part of the world.
----------How to get there
The animals only come out during the few hours in the morning or when the sun is not scorching hot. This means that you have to leave your hotels at Coron earlier because the travel time to Calauit is around 3-4 hours. The park's various fees are posted here.
Public transportation to Calauit is hard to come by. The most convenient options are via A/C van (~Php6000) and bangka (motorized outrigger boat, ~Php7500 good for 5 pax). The costs may change from time to time, so drop by Owen Ferrer's DIY Coron Site for updates.
Alternatively, you may also try out getting there on motorbikes. Please contact Sir Boyet (+639282929884) regarding the budget-friendly rental fees and other details. The exciting trip to Malacachao is worth it for those who want a different kind of adventure. From there, it is just a brief bangka ride (Php400, 2-way) to Calauit.
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