10

Endangered

SPECIES

in the PHILIPPINES

TOP

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TAMARAW

Scientific Name: Bubalus mindorensis

Common Name: Tamaraw

Habitat: Mindoro

   The wild buffalo, a distant cousin of the carabao, has been grazing the land 12,000 years ago, long before there were any natives to disturb their peace – much less malls.

         Today, however, the Tamaraw distinguished by its slightly smaller build and V-shaped horns as compared to the more docile carabao, holds its final stand in the rugged mountains of Mindoro. They are at the brink of extinction as only about 350 remain.

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VISAYAN WARTY PIG

Scientific Name: Suscebifrons

Common Name: Cebu warty pig, Negros warty pig

Habitat: Cebu, Panay, Negros Island

    It’s no secret Filipino love to eat pork. One of the major reason why this wild pig known for the 3 pairs of wart in its appearance has become so rare.And to confound things up, the pig has as a subspecies the Cebu warty pig. Seems things are looking bleak for the boar as Cebu is the unofficial lechon capital of the Philippines.Luckily, breeding programs for the specie are being undertaken in Rotterdam Zoo and San Diego Zoo.

1

PHILIPPINE EAGLE

Scientific Name: Pithecophagajefferyi

Common Name: Haribon

Habitat: Philippiness

      Truly a jewel of the Philippines, the Philippine Eagle also known as monkey-eating eagle is tagged as the national bird of the Philippines.

     Though like a king of the forest this eagle is among the most powerful of birds with sights that are the stuff of legends, the Haribon has become one of the rarest. Foremost cause for this population decimation is habitat loss.

    If you fancy catching the Philippine Eagle, think again. Killing one means you’d have to spend 12 years of your life in prison. Not to mention paying heavy fines.

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PHILIPPINE FOREST TURTLE

Scientific Name: Siebenrockiellaleytensis

Common Name: Palawan turtle

Habitat: Palawan

      This turtle may have gotten a misnomer as it is totally not endemic to the island of Leyte but only in the Palawan island group. You can easily distinguish this land turtle by its ginkgo-shaped vertebral scutes (at its back). Also, a line which is colored pale white to yellow traverses across its head behind the ears. They are prized as pets and ranks as one of the most commonly confiscated species in the Philippines with overseas buyers visiting the islands to collect them. However, sadly, the Philippine forest turtle do not do well in captivity making them very vulnerable specie.

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RED-VENTED COCKATOO

Scientific Name: Cacatuahaematuropygia

Common Name:Katala, Kalangay

Habitat: Palawan, only about 180 left

      You can never mistake this 12 inch-long cockatoo made up of just two colors: white and red. Like a priest out to say Holy Mass this bird is all-white with red feathers around the vent. 

    Perhaps because of its strikingly-clean personality, the red-vented has become a victim of the cage-bird trade with a bird fetching as much as $160 in Manila. And that was in the late 90’s.

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PHILIPPINE NAKED-BACKED FRUIT BAT

Scientific Name: Dobsoniachapmani

Common Name: Kwaknit

Habitat: Cebu, Negros Island (very small numbers

      Size is not everything. Being the largest cave-dwelling bat in the whole archipelago measuring up to 220m in total length is no protection. Instead, the Philippine naked-backed fruit bat has attracted bad men, being hunted for its meat.However by some twist of fate, this mega bat specie known for its naked appearance due to the wings attachment on the midline of their back, made an amazing recovery. Reported to be extinct in 1970’s, the night-flier known to very equipped at biting through hard-skinned fruits making them extremely unpopular to farmers, were rediscovered, though in small numbers by the 2000’s.Fortunately, Cebu forests where this bat is endemic to is protected by law. Negros may do well to follow suit.

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THE MINDORO BLEEDING-HEART

Scientific Name: Gallicolumbaplatenae

Common Name:Kulo-kulo

Habitat: Mt. Siburan, Mindoro

      Another species that is fighting for its very existence is the Mindoro Bleeding-heart, a type of ground dove with the unmistakable red markings on its chest. The sad reality is most, of its natural habitat has been cleared as majority, if not all, of the primary forests of Mindoro have been cleared

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PHILIPPINE CROCODILE

Scientific Name: Crocodylusmindorensis

Common Name: Philippine freshwater crocodile

Habitat: Mindoro, only about 100 left

      Unlike the saltwater crocodile Lolong, said to be the world’s largest crocodile at 21 feet long weighing 1,075 kilos, Philippine Crocodiles also called as Mindoro Crocodile are much smaller growing 3 meters or less than 10 feet (almost half of Lolong).

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RUFOUS-HEADED HORNBILL

Scientific Name: Aceroswaldeni

Common Name: Kalaw

Habitat: Panay, some part of Zamboanga del Norte, extinct in Guimaras

        This bird with a lot of weight on its horn, is found only in the Philippines. That fact alone should make us proud. Had it stayed that way. The thing is the Kalaw or rufous-headed is in an extremely rapid population decline or in plain English their numbers are dying. It’s a shame that we can’t take care of such a wonderful bird treasure

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HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE

Scientific Name: Eretmochelysimbricata

Common Name: Pawikan

Habitat: Global

    Distinguished for its narrow, pointed beak that earned it its name as “Hawk’s bill”, this medium-sized vegetarian of a turtle has been under heavy attack from humans in general, and Filipinos in particular who hunt them for their meat and for their shells which are prized material for many accessories in the fashion industry.

WHAT CAN WE DO:

12 Things We Should All Do To Protect Endangered Species

• Educate your family about endangered species in your area. 
• Recycle and buy sustainable products.
• Grow native plants. 
• Reduce your water consumption. 
• Reduce your personal footprint.Drive less, walk more.  
• Do not buy plastic products. 
• Pressure your civil servants. 
• Volunteer your time to protect the wildlife in your area.
• Do not purchase products from companies that are known polluters. 
• Get in touch with your Fish and Game Department.
• Black out the Black Market. 
• Herbicides and pesticides are hazardous pollutants that affect wildlife at many levels.
  

"'There is so much we can be doing to protect these animals and vulnerable species from extinction, but we must make these changes now.'

AN INFOGRAPHICS PREPARED BY:

Niño L. Esquilona

Angelica C. Arizala

BSED IV-R