Conduct of the Elicitation Workshop on Tamaraw Age Class Identification (Calf-to-Cow) Ratio

As part of transitioning to a new tamaraw monitoring system in MIBNP, key players—including the Taobuid ethnolinguistic group, Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) Protected Area Management Office (PAMO), Tamaraw Conservation Program Office (TCPO), and the Thriving Together with Tamaraw Consortium — joined forces in a groundbreaking workshop. 

The tamaraw monitoring method will transition from the Simultaneous Multi-Vantage Point Count (SMVPC) that requires grassland burning to improve visibility to the Index of Ecological Change (IEC) that involves three indicators: abundance, reproductive success, and impact on vegetation. The calf-to-cow ratio will be used as an indicator for reproductive success. A key aspect in this indicator is to accurately identify the different age categories of the tamaraws, especially the calves and the reproducing adults. 

During the workshop, the participants discussed and identified the diagnostic features (physical and behavioural traits) of the different age classes. This aims to improve data collection accuracy. The Taobuid participants shared the many local terms they use in categorizing age classes, proving that indigenous knowledge is a helpful and reliable lens for identifying tamaraw age groups. 

The workshop is a collaborative leap forward in tamaraw conservation, science, and recognition of the importance of indigenous knowledge.

This activity is one of the initiatives of the Thriving Together with Tamaraw Consortium led by Re:wild, together with the D'Aboville Foundation and Demo Farm, Inc. (DAF) and Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (MBCFI), with support from the Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) through Darwin Initiative under UK Aid.