Wildlife of Philippines

The Philippines is made up of more than 7,100 islands and is considered as both a hotspot and a megadiversity country. It is home to 5% of the world’s flora, and ranks 4th in bird endemism. 54 percent of mammals are considered endemic.

Wildlife of the Philippines – Wikipedia

The Wildlife of the Philippines has a significant number of plant and animal species that are endemic in the Philippines. The country’s surrounding waters reportedly[who?] have the highest level of biodiversity in the world. The Philippines is considered as one of the seventeen Megadiverse countries as well as global biodiversity hotspot. In the 2000 Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), 418 of the country’s 52,177 species were listed as threatened. The Philippines has among the highest rates of discovery in the world with sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last ten years. Because of this, the rate of endemism for the Philippines has risen and likely will continue to rise

First Philippine National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Vertebrates. There are 185 species of Philippine terrestrial mammals, and 62 percent (115 species) of which is endemic (PAWB-NBU, 1996). About 558 species of birds have been recorded and 17 1 of these are known to be found only in the Philippines. A total of 95 amphibian species are recognized to be found in the country, of which 54 percent (5 species) is considered endemic.

Biological diversity in the Philippines

The world’s second largest archipelago country after Indonesia, the Philippines includes more than 7,100 islands covering 297,179 km2 in the westernmost Pacific Ocean. The Philippines lies north of Indonesia and directly east of Vietnam. The country is one of the few nations that is, in its entirety, both a hotspot and a megadiversity country, placing it among the top priority hotspots for global conservation.
The patchwork of isolated islands, the tropical location of the country, and the once extensive areas of rainforest have resulted in high species diversity in some groups of organisms and a very high level of endemism. There are five major and at least five minor centers of endemism, ranging in size from Luzon, the largest island (103,000 km2), which, for example, has at least 31 endemic species of mammals, to tiny Camiguin Island (265 km2) speck of land north of Mindanao, which has at least two species of endemic mammals. The Philippines has among the highest rates of discovery in the world with sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last ten years. Because of this, the rate of endemism for the Philippines has risen and likely will continue to rise.

WWF-Philippines

WWF-Philippines implements conservation and development projects in 11 provinces and at least 28 towns; from the far north in the Babuyan Islands, to the southernmost tip, the Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi. On a nationwide scale, WWF advocates for appropriate environmental policies, engage coporations for sustainalbe business and conducts environmental education activities in Metro Manila and other key cities and towns.

The field projects of WWF-Philippines support local efforts in coastal resources management, community-based ecotourism, management of protected areas, and environmental law enforcement, among others. WWF’s projects on species protection serve as catalytic platforms for a broader coastal management and conservation program in a number of areas. These include the Irrawaddy dolphin in Malampaya Sound, Palawan, the whaleshark in Donsol, Sorsogon, whales and dolphins in Tanon Strait, Negros Oriental, sea turtles in the Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi, the dugong in Roxas, Palawan, and the humpback whale in Babuyan Islands.

A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines (Oxford Ornithology Series)

This is the first and so far only guide to cover all 572 species of birds known to occur within the 7,100 islands that comprise the Philippines. The Philippines are the home of nearly 172 species that are not found anywhere else in the world-many of which are endangered as the result of high levels of habitat destruction in the Philippine forest. Thus, knowledge and study of the endemic characteristics of the birds of the Philippines are of critical importance.
This Guide is beautifully illustrated with 72 specially painted color plates, showing all species recorded from the Philippines except four rare accidental species. The accompanying text gives detailed information about the plumage, voice, range, distribution, status, habitat, life history, and behavior of the birds and includes helpful distribution maps for all the species highlighted

You may also be interested in A Photographic Guide to Birds of the Philippines (Photographic Guides) (much cheaper but not in the same league) The book features descriptions of 216 species and is easy to carry around in your pocket.

Protected areas of the Philippines

The Philippines has vast natural resources that are a source of food, water, shelter and livelihood for its rapidly growing population. It is one of 18 megabiodiversity countries (containing 2/3 of the earth’s biodiversity and about 70-80% of the world’s plant and animal species) due to its geographical isolation, diverse habitats and high rates of endemism. The Philippines is 5th in the number of plant species and maintains 5% of the world’s flora. Species endemism is very high covering at least 25 genera of plants and 49% of terrestrial wildlife. It also ranks 4th in bird endemism. In terms of fishes, there are about 3,214 (incomplete list) with about 121 endemic and 76 threatened species.

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