Father Tropa's Zoo

If you travel south of Dumaguete on the National Highway you will find the town of Zamboangita. The name is interestingly a bastardization of the original dialect word for Octopus. Apparently long ago legend has it, there was a giant Octopus caught and displayed on the beach and the name stuck. Traveling a few kilometers further south going towards Siaton, you will see (if you look very carefully) a small sign for Father Tropa’s Zoo on the right side of the road.

Father Tropa was a religious leader in the Philippines that had a following which believed that Jesus would come back to earth in a space ship in the year 2000. He even hosted a TV show titled Spaceship 2000. Well the year has come and gone, and so has father Tropa, but his zoo remains. Father Tropa was a dedicated environmentalist and did his best to protect native wildlife. His existing zoo is an outgrowth of his interest in protcting animals. It is a zoo unique to the Philippines, and unlike any zoo you might have encountered in the western world. Humble would be a kind way of describing it. In the genre of bizarre, quirky, and entertaining, it is an interesting stop if time allows.

Passing through the narrow gate is best accomplished on a motor bike or small car. A gate keeper will collect 10 Pesos per person to enter or park, not sure how they apply the fee. In any event you pay, enter, and park. When I entered with my wife we were greeted by a diminutive guide who spoke no English, and very little of any language it seemed. He had this never ending smile and giggled incessantly. He was determined to show us every display and animal.

First on our tour was this largish low building that looked like a Barangay hall or meeting place. Once we were through the doors and our eyes adjusted to the lower light levels, a strange and surreal world awaited. Reminiscent of a Bruegell painting, there were displays representative of your average house of horrors. Our guide was laughing in his imbecilic manner and pointing out every display with great pride. This hall was home to what might be called the dead stuff. Long tables with dusty jars full of formaldehyde in which were preserved every aberration of genetics known to man, including a human fetus with multiple limbs. If you are sensitive or squeamish, don’t enter, because the stuffed two headed calf will certainly put you off.

Other exhibits included many moth eaten examples of taxidermy, both domestic and wild critters. Some of the displays have been artfully repaired with duct tape. Actually this was my favorite part of the zoo. It either brings out the teenager in you, or makes you ill. After the initial shock and cursory tour, our over zealous guide bent down and dragged a large flat box from beneath one of the tables. I was wondering what surprise we were in for now… As it turned out this boxed contained a large very alive Python. Without hesitating he gingerly raised the snake and draped it around my wife. She is very OK with this stuff and played along with the gonzo theatrics. What I don’t understand is how these snakes, and there were more, live in boxes under a table. But there was no time to ask. We were whisked outside again and showed the various animals kept in rusty wire fences and cages. I tried to get some photos, but the cages were so ugly and constricted, it was hard to get anything worthwhile. One of the proudest moments for our guide was when he showed us the “giant” chicken. Essentially a standard size domestic type from Europe or the U.S., compared to the wild native chickens in the Philippines, it was indeed giant. At this point I was muttering to myself but enthusiastically enjoying our tour.

Next up where the two dozen Monkeys in cages, most I assume donated or orphaned. The highlight live animal was the giant crocodile. This thing in a low pool was immense. We missed the feeding, but apparently they throw it a live goat or dog once in a while. I was very glad to miss that. My wife described an earlier visit with here family where in fact a dog was sacrificed in from of visitors.

The last exhibit we saw was father Tropa’s grave. Yes he is there among his beloved animals, forever enshrined, but not stuffed thank goodness.

So if you get tired of coral, exotic fish, white sand beaches, and mountain climbing, Father Tropa’s awaits you, ready to give you an alternative zoological experience.