NFEFI Appeals to Farmers

The Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation (NFEFI) is appealing to local farmers and the food industry for supplies of foodstuffs for the more than 100 endemic and endangered animals in its center in Bacolod City.

MJ and his mother Sandy, Visayan Spotted Deer, the world’s most threatened deer species. MJ was born last year at the NFEFI center.*

For many years, NFEFI has been at the forefront of efforts to protect and conserve the fragile environment of Negros. NFEFI’s Biodiversity Conservation Center located by the Provincial lagoon in Bacolod City serves as a captive breeding and rescue station for many of the endemic and threatened animals found in Negros.

MJ, the first Visayan Spotted Deer fawn to be born at NFEFI in the past six years.*

It is hoped one day NFEFI will be able to release many of these wild animals back into their natural habitat.

"Unfortunately, NFEFI is operating on a shoestring budget. With the economic downturn, funds are becoming harder and harder to find. We urgently need help in feeding the endangered animals in our center," said NFEFI president Paul Lizares.

"We are appealing to farmers and those in the food business to help us by providing free-of-charge on a weekly basis food such as fruits and vegetables, formulated feeds and grains, fish and meat."

Any reader willing to assist can contact NFEFI trustee Robert Harland on 034 433 2036 or 0916 343 7048 for more details.

The actual needs are: fruits and vegetables - banana; papaya; pineapple; camote; squash; pechay; camote tops/kangkong; watermelon.

Formulated feed & grains - safflower seeds; jockey oats; mongo; soy bean; mixed mgrains (concentrate); mixed bird seeds; cracked corn; dog food; hog mash; hog pellets. Meats - fish (freshwater); chicken meat.

Other food items (may be given in addition to the regular food items to provide variety of food) Upo; Sayote; Eggplant; String beans; Cucumber; Gabi; Singkamas; Cabbage; Carrots; Corn in cob; Fruits in season (mango, santol, tambis, avocado, lumboy).*