Nowadays the climbers have a cooperative to protect both their own livelihood and the birds’ delicate habitat from over-exploitation by the Chinese Filipinos with whom they trade.

There are 100 climbers in all and the guardianship of individual caves has been passed from father to son for generations. Over the years, many have lost their lives in the caves but this does not deter them from continuing their traditional work.

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The sculpted limestone karst landscape of northern Palawan.