Isla Biodiversity Conservation, Inc.

On 26 July 2007 school children, teachers and residents of Calayan Island were astounded to see the biggest Calayan Rail that ever walked the island. The bird had the usual red beak and legs and dark body but it donned a green scarf and a native hat.

It is not a giant anomaly of nature, but a lovable and cuddly mascot named Pedring.

Pedring was spotted during the culminating ceremonies of Nutrition Month Celebrations on the island. During a week where prizes were given to growers of the largest papaya, the largest eggplant and the largest bananas, Pedring surely deserved a prize for being the largest bird of its kind.

Pedring danced among the crowd and school children instantly swarmed around him trying to get a good view of the bird. Cameras were flashing from all directions as people tried to take a photo of this rare appearance.

"Pedring, the Piding, is the newest friend of conservation on the island," quipped Mike Morales, ISLA Project Coordinator on the island. "He will be appearing in events and visiting schools on and off the island to raise awareness of conservation issues in Calayan."

ISLA, through the Calayan Rail Project, worked in close coordination with the Calayan Municipal Health Office to launch the mascot during the Nutrition Month Celebrations. The event is the biggest activity sponsored by the Health Office every year. Field demonstrations, Filipino games, a cook fest, a basketball tournament, healthy child contests and a float parade are among the exciting activities that marked this year's celebrations. The Calayan Rail Project provided t-shirts, bags and raincoats as prizes for the different competitions.

"We are delighted to highlight the Calayan Rail in this year's Nutriton Month Celebration," said Dr. Dave Encina, municipal dentist, and one of the lead organizers of the event.

"We wanted to feature something that is unique to this island... This mascot will be a new symbol of Calayan," he added.