Divilacan, Isabela: Face to Face with Crocodiles

I think this is the farthest place I have been to.

It was a ten-hour land trip from Manila to Tuguegarao, a 45-minute 20-seater plane ride from Tuguegarao- Maconacon and another 20-minute kuliglig ride (a.k.a. tricycle) from Maconacon to Divilacan. And hell yeah, it was so FARRR.

But for the unstoppable adventurous, this is a place you shouldn’t miss. This is where you get to be face to face with crocodiles.

No kidding, I meant crocodiles. The reptile with sharp teeth, yeah, that one.

I know, I know. Crocodiles have a reputation for eating people. And you’d be nuts to want to go there. But the man-eating ones are the humongous saltwater crocs. These ones are Philippine freshwater crocodiles, locally known as Bukarot. They only grow three meters long and are quite shy and evasive in nature and in my experience too. And they are among the world’s MOST critically endangered species, more endangered than the Philippine eagle.

Last 2009, Mabuwaya Foundation released 50 bukarots in Dicatian lake in Divilacan in hopes of reintroducing their species in the wild.  You MUST go in the lake in the morning because not only does it have crocs, it has the most wonderful birds flying by around that time. We saw a lot of Rufous Hornbills, Grey-headed Fishing Eagles, some Coleto I think and other birds I cannot name.

You explore the lake by boat. The lake was originally a forest that was made into a dam for irrigation, and now a sanctuary for crocodiles. Dead trees decorate the lake in such a creepy, serene and wonderful manner. Your local boatman will be able to help you spot crocodile eyes lurking in the water. Crocodiles do this to better see their prey. And don’t worry; you are too big to be a prey. And no, they won’t try to get near your boat. In my experience, they will swim away or dive deep if disturbed. I stayed there for three days and rode the boat seven times.

There is almost a 100% chance of seeing a wild crocodile, but if you were born THAT unlucky, Mabuwaya has built a three-storey tower where you can watch crocodiles bask in the sun in a hot afternoon, and provides a scenic view of the whole lake. The tower can be a place for you to sleep if you have a sleeping bag or a hammock. There is one decent bathroom in the area, a dining table among trees and a cooking area. There are also camp sites where you can pitch tents. But if you’re afraid of the crocs, you can stick to the tower.

But hey, I am not trying to sugarcoat crocodile behavior here. I am still human after all. These animals do bite when they feel threatened. But they can’t eat you, sorry. They are way too small for that. Last Feb 2010, there was an incident of a pregnant woman bitten by a croc while she was bathing in a lake she knew had crocodiles in San Mariano (another town, same province).

So moral of the story, even if the crocs are evasive in nature, don’t push their limit by bathing with them, or trying to “encounter them” by getting too close, touching them, or thinking you can play with them like you do with your dog. Should you feel threatened by a crocodile, Mabuwaya Foundation advises for you to make a noise by tapping the water or the ground.

Better to coordinate with Mabuwaya Foundation before going. These people have been handling crocodiles since the 90s and they have trained locals who can guide you for both yours and the crocodiles’ safety. 

Other activities in Divilacan would be beach bumming and forest trekking (this area is part of Sierra Madre, a virgin forest, mind you).

Other things: The town has limited electricity. Some houses run generators at night while some have their own solar panels. The only phone signal there is SMART and they have no internet. They don’t have a lot of pork and canned goods are VERY expensive. It’s best that you shop before going there. But they have cheap, big and delicious fishes in Maconacon market.
You can arrange your transportation around Divilacan with your host. I forgot the name of our host but she lives in front of the mayor’s house and her husband is the Municipal Agriculture Officer. She’s very nice and cooks well. There are no hotels yet in the area (though they are building one), so tourists stay with families.   

And lastly, you might want to read this before going…


http://www.wikihow.com/Survive-an-Encounter-with-a-Crocodile-or-Alligator

Contacts:

(+63919) 653.1698
Flor- the town mayor’s wife, who can arrange a host for you

(+63921) 575.8535
Tess Balbas- Communication Officer of Mabuwaya Foundation who can help you find a guide

Please do take a SKYPASADA WCC flight which is considered the safest. To book, call the following numbers:

WCC Office in Tuguegarao
Telephone: (+6378) 844.1011
Mobile: (+63929) 184.1388
Website: http://www.skypasada.com/contacts.html
Pengue Ruyu, 3500 Tuguegarao City,
Cagayan, Philippines

(+63919) 501.2696
WCC Office in Maconacon

About the pictures: No, you can’t handle crocodiles because they will bite the hell out of your hand. The one handling the crocodile in the picture is a TV show host-veterinarian who has been handling animals for almost 10 years. It was taken during Mabuwaya foundation’s scientific survey in Dicatian Lake. 

To watch a clip of that feature in the show:
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/56371/born-to-be-wild-croc-capture