Before I proceed to our Samal Island Getaway, let me share to you first the animals in Davao Crocodile Park. Now the name is named after the first animal that was in this park. The owner of this park has a fascination towards the saltwater and freshwater crocodiles which later became a moneymaking business. As time goes by, more and more animals aside from crocodiles are now living in the park. Although, crocodiles outnumbered the other animals.
Crocodiles
Now the park boasts thousands of self-nurtured crocodiles. There are more than five rooms for these crocodiles that vary in sizes and age.
But, for Pangil, Philippines biggest crocodile in captive, lives alone. I understand that Pangil needs to be alone in a room but the empty swimming pool he’s in is quite small for him.
Birds
After seeing numerous crocodiles of different sizes, we get to see different bird species both aerial, arboreal and terrestrial birds.
When we say terrestrial birds, these are birds that choose to stay in the ground. They have short wings with bulky body but can actually fly in a short distance and stay close in the ground when provoked or disturbed. The arboreal birds spend most of their time in trees. They have feet and claws for gripping and climbing in trees. Some of these arboreal birds have toes that enable them to climb down. Lastly, the aerial birds are those who spend their time in flight. A true aerial bird can feed, drink, sleep, and mate while on the wing.
Terrestrial Birds
Cassowary
Peacock
Ostrich
Aerial Bird
Philippine Eagle
Arboreal Bird
Cockatoo
Fishes
Vibrant colors of the Kois will call you as they swim around the water. You can feed them and expect a school of Koi flipping their tails and opening their mouth.
Kois
A friendly and harmless dragon is in the park also. There’s a placard, Dragon’s Den but fear not, because this dragon will not burn you alive. As mentioned, it’s a harmless dragon.
Iguana
Beside the Iguana is a Tortoise of which I mistakenly thought as a big rock. But when his head emerged, there I concluded that it's a tortoise. Now before proceeding to the dragon's den where the tortoise coexists with the Iguana, there's a wishing well with lots of cute turtles in it.
Tortoise
Turtle
I wasn't able to have a close encounter with the charming orangutan though I caught him peeping like Tom. It would have been better if we were able to attend the Orangutan Show. Sad to say, we're too early for the show and we're running out of time.
Orangutan
There are also wild animals in this park. If I were mistaken, there are four tigers sleeping. If only they are harmless, I would love to hug them and squeeze their cute paws. For the lioness, I don’t know if I’m just being emotional or paranoid but I can see in her eyes that she’s sad and lonely. It’s either she needs Simba in her life or she misses Simba and she wants to be with her Alpha and the rest of the pride in the wildlife.
Siberian Tiger
Lion
For a farm-like set-up, there's a mini farmville in the park wherein you will get to see domesticated animals. There's two viewing shed where you can also feed the ostrich. Yes, the ostrich is placed together with the goats and ducks
Goat
There's still plenty of animals in the park and I missed the chance to take a picture nor see them since we only stayed there for an hour. There's also a wild pig, monitor lizard, civet cat, porcupine, Philippine deer, Python, Pheasant, Fruit Bat, Leopard Cat, Philippine Sail-fin Water Dragon and a lot more.
On the last thought,
For humans, the zoo entertains us, amazes us but contrary to what we feel, the animals behind those cages are sad and somehow miserable. Miserable in the sense that they should have been in their own respective habitat. If we look closely into their eyes you will see that they are not happy to be held captive. Just like the wild animals, the tiger, and the lion, they are the predator in the wildlife, but instead, they're alone in a small cage which their movements are limited to walking, sleeping and waiting for the food to be thrown into the cage.
It's pity that they will die inside the cage. Hope that they will be given a larger room with an environment closer to their expected habitat.