Eyes in the Wild: Tracing Life and Hope in the Forests of CADT 239

Deep within the ancestral forests of CADT 239 in Bislig, Surigao del Sur, the Project Caraga team, led by Biodiversity Zonal Officer Jim Clay Bagano and Biodiversity Enforcement Officer Datu Danao, set out to uncover the hidden wonders of biodiversity. With camera traps and community partners, they began a journey of discovery: to capture the unseen pulse of life in the wild.

The team installed motion-activated cameras that now keep silent watch, poised to record the movements of forest life—especially the endangered Philippine Deer (Rusa marianna), a key prey species of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi). Each offers a glimpse into the forest’s story, helping monitor species, track patterns, and detect emerging threats. 

But beyond the lens, the team also walked the forests with Indigenous community members using the line transect method, noting every trace of wildlife they encounter. Each record adds a piece to the story of CADT 239’s rich biodiversity. 

For the community, these efforts deepen their role as forest stewards. Here, traditional knowledge meets science, strengthening their ability to protect their ancestral lands. For Project Caraga, it ensures that every environmental commitment rests on measurable, meaningful results. This is more than just monitoring and verification, it reaffirms hope. 

The team also found Philippine Eagle nests, inactive for now, but whispers a promise. When we manage disturbance and the noise, maybe, one day soon, the call of the Philippine Eagle may once again echo through its skies.

Every captured image, even the stillness of the forest and the absence of wings, carries meaning: a story of coexistence and hope. As long as the forests remain standing and breathing, life and hope endures, because to protect the land is to keep the song of life alive.