Malapascua's Underwater Jock
Let's face it. A lot of tourists head to Malapascua not just for the beach but mainly to get up close to the thresher shark. Malapascua is believed to be the only place in the world where people can stare at thresher sharks like star-struck fans. Tourists make sacrifices -- waking up early in the morning, before the break of dawn, to journey for about 30 minutes to a known spa exclusively for underwater creatures. The place is called Monad shoal. Thresher sharks usually drop by the place to have their skin cleaned. Even manta rays and other sea creatures drop by for the service.
And just like any jock, the thresher shark has strong and flexible muscles that enable it to breach the surface of the water. However, when they are on Monad shoal, they glide ever so gracefully with their long tails as if they are ballerinas performing an arabesque with a chiffon wrap billowing behind them. They don't hunt. While they do their moves, humans have to be still. Any movement could startle the shark away.
More than thresher sharks, the waters around Malapascua have been the resting place of World War II remains and a not-so-recent passenger boat that met its demise in the area -- the Doña Marilyn. These wrecks have become the abodes of numerous sea creatures like seahorses, several kinds of fish, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins, nudibranchs and soft corals.
And just like any jock, the thresher shark has strong and flexible muscles that enable it to breach the surface of the water. However, when they are on Monad shoal, they glide ever so gracefully with their long tails as if they are ballerinas performing an arabesque with a chiffon wrap billowing behind them. They don't hunt. While they do their moves, humans have to be still. Any movement could startle the shark away.
More than thresher sharks, the waters around Malapascua have been the resting place of World War II remains and a not-so-recent passenger boat that met its demise in the area -- the Doña Marilyn. These wrecks have become the abodes of numerous sea creatures like seahorses, several kinds of fish, crabs, shrimps, sea urchins, nudibranchs and soft corals.
The Lesser Known Town
Malapascua is only part of a town known as Daanbantayan, in the northern tip of Cebu. One of its iconic landmarks is the Sta. Rosa de Lima Church which was built in the mid-19th century. It took more than two decades to finish and is made of coral stones. Other edifices radiate from the church. There's a school, municipal hall and the town's plaza. Aside from the plaza where children can play, there is the San Pedro River where people can while away the time on the riverside/promenade.
Another island that is part of Daanbantayan is Gato Island. Birds and flying foxes inhabit the terrestrial part of the island while its surrounding waters provide a spot where divers can witness a vibrant aquatic life. Underneath the island is a tunnel inhabited by sea snakes and crabs. At one end of the tunnel, you may be greeted by white tip sharks. (Don't worry. Shark attacks are unheard of in this place and sharks would rather have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids than those loaded with bad cholesterol and free radicals. Small sea snakes are also not like anacondas that you see in movies interested in having humans for a bite. Besides, the fangs of sea snakes are too short to easily penetrate a wetsuit.)
Climate change can be a threat to these animals through increased sea levels which could submerge islands on which they lay their eggs or feed on vegetation. Increased sea temperatures could also lead to coral bleaching, and eventually, the death of a coral. As you must know, corals are vital to the marine ecosystem. The marine ecosystem, in turn, is important for the sustenance of life. Climate change may also bring in severe storms which damage reefs. Climate change can also weaken a coral's skeleton due to acidic oceans made by high levels of carbon dioxide (since oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere). Weakening of the coral's skeleton can make it vulnerable to parasites and disease.
Another island that is part of Daanbantayan is Gato Island. Birds and flying foxes inhabit the terrestrial part of the island while its surrounding waters provide a spot where divers can witness a vibrant aquatic life. Underneath the island is a tunnel inhabited by sea snakes and crabs. At one end of the tunnel, you may be greeted by white tip sharks. (Don't worry. Shark attacks are unheard of in this place and sharks would rather have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids than those loaded with bad cholesterol and free radicals. Small sea snakes are also not like anacondas that you see in movies interested in having humans for a bite. Besides, the fangs of sea snakes are too short to easily penetrate a wetsuit.)
Climate change can be a threat to these animals through increased sea levels which could submerge islands on which they lay their eggs or feed on vegetation. Increased sea temperatures could also lead to coral bleaching, and eventually, the death of a coral. As you must know, corals are vital to the marine ecosystem. The marine ecosystem, in turn, is important for the sustenance of life. Climate change may also bring in severe storms which damage reefs. Climate change can also weaken a coral's skeleton due to acidic oceans made by high levels of carbon dioxide (since oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere). Weakening of the coral's skeleton can make it vulnerable to parasites and disease.