conation studi on alaan biodiit · dumaguete city, philippines 6200. the island-province of palawan...

KATALA FOUNDATION, INC. (KFI), a non-stock, non-governmental organization, is active in protecting and conserving wildlife, particularly the Philippine cockatoo from which its name is derived and other threatened wildlife in the Philippines. Its niche developed over the years of research, advocacy, community development and practical conservation to achieve its vision that is, to effect conservation of biological diversity through active community involvement.

The first part of this publication describes the results of KFI’s Katala Quest expedition in Northern Palawan, Philippines. The quest won Silver Award from the British Petroleum (BP) Conservation Programme in 2003. The second part is a compilation of conservation studies and researches conducted in Palawan by KFI or in cooperation with KFI and local partners.

It is the intent of this publication to make available the findings of these researches to a wider audience to create awareness for and, if possible, to inspire more conservation projects for Palawan’s rich flora and fauna.

Conservation S

tudies on Palaw

an Biodiversity

Indira Widm

ann, Peter W

idmann, S

abine Schoppe,

Deborah van den B

eukel and Merlin E

spesoC

onservation Studies on P

alawan B

iodiversityContact:

Katala Foundation, Inc.P.O. Box 390Puerto Princesa City 5300Palawan, PhilippinesTel/Fax no. +63484347693Email: [email protected]: www.philippinecockatoo.org

Philippine Copyright 2009 by Katala Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 390, Puerto Princesa City 5300, Palawan, Philippines

All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-971-94296-0-9

Printed with contributions from BP Conservation Programme through the British Petroleum, BirdLife International, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society and Fauna and Flora International and through the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme principal donor Loro Parque Fundacion and funding partners Chester Zoological Gardens, Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz (ZGAP, incl. Fonds Fuer Bedrohte Papageien and Strunden-Papageien-Stiftung), Conservation des Espèces et Des Populations Animales (CEPA), and Zoo de Beauval

All material appearing in this publication iscopyrighted and may be reproduced with permission. Any reproduction in full or in part of this publication must credit KATALA FOUNDATION, INC. as the copyright owner.

The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the KATALA FOUNDATION, INC.

Suggested citation: Widmann, Indira Lacerna, Peter Widmann, Sabine Schoppe, Deborah van den Beukel and Merlin Espeso (eds.), 2008. Conservation Studies on Palawan Biodiversity: A compilation of researches conducted in cooperation with or initiated by Katala Foundation Inc.. Katala Foundation, Inc. Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines.

Published by Katala Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 390, Puerto Princesa City 5300, Palawan, Philippines

Photograph credits: (front cover) Mangrove Rhizophora stylosa and Philippine cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia, Peter Widmann; (back cover) Philippine forest turtle Siebenrockiella leytensis Sabine Schoppe; Ground orchid Spathoglottis sp., Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris, Greater flying fox Pteropus vampyrus, Philippine cockatoo Cacatua heamaturopygia, Blue-naped parrot Tanygnathus lucionensis, Bearcat Arctictis binturong, Unidentified orchid from Rasa Island, Green imperial-pigeon Ducula aenea by Peter Widmann.

Conservation studieson Palawan Biodiversity

A compilation of researches conducted in cooperation with or initiated by Katala Foundation, Inc.

Published on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program

Editors

Indira Dayang Lacerna-Widmann

Peter Widmann

Sabine Schoppe

Deborah van den Beukel

Merlin Espeso

PREFACE

The Katala Foundation Inc. (KFI) implements the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme (PCCP) since 1998 with target sites in Palawan. KFI’s niche developed over the years of researches, advocacy and capacity building in order to protect and conserve the biological diversity of Palawan. Its vision is to effect conservation of biological resources through active community involvement, thus, conserving with people. To attain this vision, Katala Foundation employs participatory and ecosystemic approaches to all its programs and activities. Its name Katala is derived from the local name of the Philippine cockatoo.

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the PCCP, we wish to share with you valuable information on biodiversity conservation topics in Palawan. It is the intent of this publication to make available the findings of these researches to a wider audience to create awareness for and, if possible, to inspire more conservation projects for Palawan’s rich flora and fauna.

The first part of this publication describes the results of KFI’s Katala Quest expedition in Northern Palawan, Philippines. The quest bagged the Silver Award from the British Petroleum (BP) Conservation Programme in 2003 along with 32 other winning projects among 360 applicants all over the world!

Flagship species of the expedition was the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia, an endemic to the island nation. The expedition was designed to provide a better understanding of the rich fauna of Pagdanan Range where information on this species and associated fauna is scanty and outdated. Because of increased security problems on mainland Dumaran in those years, we have decided to include Dumaran Island in the expedition considering the encouraging records of cockatoos and other threatened vertebrates on the island. The expedition was conducted in a very high spirit of cooperation among team members from different fields of expertise and institutional affiliations.

The expedition aimed to facilitate conservation of the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo, including its actual and potential habitats and associated vertebrate fauna. As a result, we have engaged local communities and decision makers to secure a long-term conservation project in one of the target sites. Needless to say, the proper management of these areas will benefit not only the scientific world but most importantly will and should benefit the local people living within and around these unique habitats.

We are indebted to BP Conservation Programme and its sponsors - the British Petroleum, Fauna and Flora International, BirdLife International, Conservation International and Wildlife Conservation Society for this opportunity.

The second part of this volume is a compilation of conservation studies and researches on Palawan biodiversity which were conducted in cooperation with or initiated by the KFI. Most of these studies had been published earlier in journals but are not readily accessible for everyone’s use.

On this occasion, we are particularly proud that in 2008 the cockatoo population on Rasa Island, Narra, Palawan, Philippines for the first time since the project started passed the 200 individual mark. The area has become, not only the core habitat of the Philippine cockatoo, but also of other globally threatened or near-threatened bird species. Rasa Island by now is the only place where Philippine cockatoos can reliably be observed in the wild!

We are equally grateful to our local partners, our wildlife wardens and volunteers, collaborating institutions and organizations that believed in partnership and cooperation. Most especially we thank our principal sponsor, the Loro Parque Fundacion (LPF) and its funding partners: Conservation des Espèces et des Populations Animales (CEPA), Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz (ZGAP; incl. Fonds für Bedrohte Papageien and Strunden-Papageien-Stiftung), North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoological Gardens) and Zoo de Beauval.

This volume is dedicated to the Katala and to all of you on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme.

Matamang salamat!

FOREWORD

Conservation Studies on Palawan Biodiversity is a compendium of 21 papers on land vertebrates found on Palawan Island and associated smaller islands, the Philippines. Four papers highlight the results of the Katala Quest expedition. Most of these 17 papers had been published earlier in journals. While these papers are already known to research specialists, they may not be readily accessible to the public. Gathering them together in this single volume will make them more useful to the public, including leaders of the conservation movement in the Philippines and elsewhere as well as government officials responsible for the conservation of the unique biodiversity on Palawan.

Palawan occupies a strategic position in the evolution of Philippine fauna and flora, being a “bridge” island between the Sunda Islands of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Philippines proper, and has engaged the attention of biographers and naturalists from the past to the present time. The forthcoming volume is therefore of interest to the general public and the scientific community.

This volume, which is composed of 21 papers, four on mammals, six on birds, six on amphibians and reptiles, two on conservation education, two on wildlife trade and hunting and one on biodiversity utilization, shows how a conservation organization such as the Katala Foundation, Inc. can move beyond the usual practice of academic institutions and other organizations in producing publications almost solely for academic purposes. The Katala Foundation, Inc. should be commended for taking the step, through this volume, to inform the public of the results of its research program, its supporters and its research collaborators.

Noteworthy among the admirable achievements of the Foundation is the ten-fold increase of the cockatoo population on Rasa Island as the result of its conservation program. This is an example that other conservation foundations that spend large amounts of money in the Philippines should follow. I distinctly remember a comment of an Asian Development Bank executive some years ago bewailing the fact that despite many millions of US dollars spent on marine conservation during the last two decades, the marine environment has remained degraded and depleted! Our current analysis of the present situation of Philippine coral reefs has confirmed this statement.

With the publication of this volume and adding the several papers on the land vertebrates published in the past by other authors, including scientists from Silliman University, Field Museum in Chicago, University of Kansas, California Academy of Sciences, etc., Palawan Island probably ranks second to Negros Island in terms of the number of papers published on land vertebrates.

I congratulate the Katala Foundation, Inc. for publishing this volume on the natural history and conservation of Palawan terrestrial biodiversity.

A.C. ALCALAEmeritus Professor of BiologySilliman UniversityDumaguete City, Philippines 6200

The island-province of Palawan is bestowed with unique wildlife being a landbridge island to Borneo. Despite the relative small land area of Palawan, the archipelago holds a high diversity of marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Lowland tropical rainforests are the terrestrial ecosystems in Palawan which are richest in species.

For the past 10 years, the Katala Foundation Inc. endeavored to study the ecology and biology of the critically endangered Philippine cockatoo and other wildlife sharing its equally threatened habitats. Founded on a visible commitment to protect and conserve Palawan biodiversity, we are proud to have achieved most of our objectives and to have carved out a niche within the Palawan community and outside for intellectual and scientifi c discourse. From 23 birds on Rasa in 1998, we have increased the cockatoo population on the island nearly tenfold! Two other project sites in Palawan and one in Polillo, Luzon were established. These achievements have not been easy and the challenges along the way strengthened that determination and passion amongst all staff and local partners. The Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme (PCCP) has indeed moved forward in leaps and bounds and we owe a great deal of the support from you, our generous supporters and donors, who have shared our vision and have the means to turn our ideas into realities.

It is just but the opportune time to share these information to all of you whom we shared the same interest and with whom we work to champion our right for a sustainable life! With this publication, we hope we achieve informed management decisions and eventually improve the quality of life and conditions of both human and wildlife population in this unique island province called the last frontier of the Philippines!

Congratulations to all of us and Mabuhay!

JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRIPresident, KFI

Republic of the PhilippinesDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources

PROTECTED AREAS AND WILDLIFE BUREAUQuezon Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

MESSAGE

The Philippine is a megadiverse country. It supports more indigenous or endemic species per unit area than any other country in the world, it is where isolated mountain tops or small islands have their own unique species. Our geological history and the archipelagic nature of our country created a diversity of habitats giving rise to a great diversity of species.

Palawan, though historically connected to and sharing many species with Borneo has its own unique species such as the Palawan Peacock Pheasant, the Palawan Hornbill and many others. The critically endangered Philippine Cockatoo might not be restricted to the Island of Palawan but it has found a haven there.

While there has been an increased research interetpine biodiversity in the last few decades, still there is a lot to be learned. The development of conservation programs, whether at the species or ecosystem levels, depends on the quality and quantity of available information. The encroachment of development on what remains of the wildlife habitats and its impacts on the species within, adding to the growing specter of climate change and related infl uences makes it more imperative to allocate more time and resources for biodiversity research.

The publication of this “Conservation Studies on Palawan Biodiversity” is a step in the right direction. It provides a guide in conservation action including the formulation of policies that would guide management decisions. We hope that the other workers in conservation would emulate your example not only by vigorously pursuing research but also by disseminating results. Unpublished research results are worthless.

We hope the stakeholders will put this research compilation into good use. I know, at PAWB we will.

MABUHAY AND MORE POWER TO YOU !

THERESA MUNDITA S. LIMDirectorTHERESA MUNDITA S. LIM

MESSAGE

The Provincial Government of Palawan warmly extends our congratulations and heartfelt felicitations to the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Programme (PCCP) in the municipality of Narra for a decade of exemplary commitment that you have bestowed and succeeded towards effective and effi cient biodiversity conservation in the province of Palawan, hand in hand with the Katala Foundation, Inc. (KFI).

We recommend your community – based style of KFI’s program management and mobilization, wherein a share of ownership of the vision, mission and resources of the programme are translated into accountability, responsibility, transparency and easier governance. IT is on this niche that PCCP makes it easier and more cost – effective for the stakeholders, including us in the Provincial Government, to attain cooperatively our common vision. Let us continuously leverage on the community’s strength and active participation, among others, which also deserve our grateful appreciation.

Your active and indispensable role is to support the conservation of our endangered species and biodiversity, which is a diffi cult task. However, you work and stand beyond the challenges towards your goals. Thus, the province of Palawan has always been inspired by your endeavors. As partners, sustainable development is always achievable, thus leading us towards global progress thru our primary industry – our eco – tourism through your help and support. Let us altogether conserve the cockatoo and biodiversity in the once and only last frontier, our province of Palawan.

Kapag sama – sama, kayang – kaya. Mabuhay po kayong lahat sa PCCP at KFI.

More power and God bless you all!

Joel T. ReyesGovernor / ChairmanProvince of Palawan/ Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.

Joel T. ReyesGovernor / ChairmanProvince of Palawan/ Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.

Palawan as one of the most biodiverse islands in the region needs effective and strong guardians to protect the natural jewels found only there in the world. The Conservation Leadership Programme with our partner organisations (BirdLife Internationl, Fauna & Flora International, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society) has been proud to support the Katala Foundation as such guardians since 2003. We warmly congratulate them on this landmark ten year anniversary and thank them for all their untiring and really essential efforts in conservation research and action to protect the Philippine Cockatoo and other endemic wildlife on Palawan over this time. The world would truly be a poorer place without their energy and enthusiasm for this important task. We wish them all the best for the future, and hope we’ll

have opportunities to continue to collaborate with our network!

Marianne Carter

Executive Manager, Conservation Leadership Programme.

www.ConservationLeadershipProgramme.org

Marianne Carter

T a b l e o f C o n T e n T s

2 Observations on the Mammals of Lowland Forests in the Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island, Palawan, Philippines by Peter Widmann, Rolito M. Dumalag, Indira Dayang L. Widmann, Klaus Lachenmaier, Siegfred H. Diaz, Deborah D. Villafuerte and Joie D. Matillano

15 The Birds of Pagdanan Range, Lake Manguao and Malampaya Sound, Northern Palawan, Philippines by Joie D. Matillano, Peter Widmann and Klaus Lachenmaier 27 Key Conservation Amphibian Species Along Pagdanan Range, Northern Palawan, Philippines by Sabine Schoppe

32 From Species Lists to Cockatoo Reserves – The Example of the Community-based Protected Areas on Dumaran Island, Palawan, Philippinesby Indira Dayang Lacerna-Widmann, Deborah D. Villafuerte, Peter Widmann and Siegfred H. Diaz

41 The Mammals of Palawan Island, Philippines byJacob A. Esselstyn, Peter Widmann, and Lawrence R. Heaney

66 The Palawan Pangolin Manis culionensisby Sabine Schoppe and Rommel Cruz

75 Ecology and Conservation of the Palawan Stink Badger Mydaus marchei Huet,by Peter Widmann and Indira Widmann

79 Bird Observations in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, Philippines with Notes on New Island Records by Lisa Marie Paguntalan,Leif Jonasson and Patrik Jonasson

88 Observations on Philippine Cockatoo in Pandanan and Buliluyan, Southern Palawan, Philippines by Indira Dayang L. Widmann, Siegfred H. Diaz and Archie Espinosa

100 Aspects of Biology and Conservation of the Philippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia on Rasa Island, Palawan, Philippines by Peter Widmann, Indira D. Lacerna & Siegfred H. Diaz

109 Potentials and Limitations of Community-based Parrot Conservation Projects –The Example of the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program by Peter Widmann, Indira D. L. Widmann, Siegfred H. Diaz, Deborah V. van den Beukel & Rommel Cruz

118 Psittacine Feather and Beak Disease Testing and DNA Sexing of Wild Red-vented Cockatoo Chicks at Rasa Island, Palawan by Glenn Rebong, Marc Boussekey, Peter Widmann, Indira Lacerna and Siegfred Diaz

123 First Notes on the Herpetofauna of the Culasian Managed Resource Protected Area, Culasian, Rizal, Palawan, Philippines by Sabine Schoppe and Diverlie Acosta

130 Morphometry of Four Species of Non-Marine Turtles from Palawan, Philippines with Special Reference to Sexual Dimorphism by Ma. Florabel Magdaug Lopez and Sabine Schoppe

138 First Information on the Trade of Freshwater Turtles in Palawan by Catherine Maypa Gavino and Sabine Schoppe

144 Rediscovery of the Philippine Forest Turtle, Heosemys leytensis (Chelonia; Bataguridae), from Palawan Island, Philippines by Arvin C. Diesmos, Genevieve V. A. Gee, Mae L. Diesmos, Rafe M. Brown, Peter J. Widmann, and Judeline C. Dimalibot

149 Local Knowledge, Use, and Conservation Status of the Malayan Softshell Turtle Dogania subplana (Geoffroy 1809) (Testudines: Trionychidae) in Southern Palawan, Philippines by Ivy C. Regodos andSabine Schoppe

158 Biodiversity Utilization in a Tagbanua Community, Southern Palawan, Philippines by Indira D. Lacerna and Peter Widmann

173 Wildlife Trade in Southern Palawan, Philippines by Rommel M. Cruz, Deborah Villafuerte-van den Beukel, Indira Lacerna-Widmann, Sabine Schoppe, and Peter Widmann

181 Trapping and Hunting of Wildlife in Rizal, Palawan, Philippines by Deborah Villafuerte - van den Beukel, Rommel Cruz and Peter Widmann

190 Wildlife Conservation Education In Rizal, Southern Palawan by Janice M. Tupas, Deborah V. van den Beukel, and Indira Dayang L. Widmann

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With great pride and honor, we thank the following for making all these possible:

• Loro Parque Fundacion (LPF) and Funding Partners: Conservation des

EspècesetdesPopulationsAnimales(CEPA),ZoologischeGesellschaftfür

Arten- und Populationsschutz (ZGAP; incl. Fonds für Bedrohte Papageien

andStrunden-Papageien-Stiftung),andNorthofEnglandZoologicalSociety

(ChesterZoologicalGardens)andZoodeBeauval for their consistentand

generoussupport.

• BP Conservation Leadership Programme through its sponsors, British

Petroleum,ConservationInternational,FaunaandFloraInternational,BirdLife

InternationalandWildlifeConservationSociety.

• ProtectedAreasandWildlifeBureauoftheDepartmentofEnvironmentand

NaturalResources(PAWB-DENR)andourlocalpartnersinlawenforcement:

ProvincialandCommunityEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesOfficesinall

projectsites,PhilippineNationalPolice,CriminalInvestigationandDetection

Group.

• Local governments of Narra, Dumaran, Rizal, Taytay, San Vicente and

Patnanunganandtoallitsconstituents.

• The Provincial Government of Palawan and the Palawan Council for

SustainableDevelopment(PCSD)anditsstaff.

• PCCPwildlifewardens,volunteers,staffandaffiliates

• KatalaFoundationTrustees

• AndtoeveryonefromcooperatingNGOs,academeandtothosewhoinone

wayoranotherassistedandsupportedintheconservationofthePhilippine

cockatooanditshabitats.

KATALA QUEST NORTHERN PALAWAN308102

SilverAwardBPConservationProgramme2003

Theflagshipspeciesof theexpedition is thecriticallyendangeredPhilippine cockatooCacatua haematuropygia, an endemic to theislandnation.As fewas1,000 individualsmaybe left in thewild(Widmann2001).TheislandofPalawanisthelaststrongholdofthespecies.However,informationonthespeciesfromnorthernPalawanwasincomplete,orbynowalmostfifteenyearsold(Lambert1994).Lowlandforesttypes,whichserveascockatoohabitatsinPalawanweresystematicallystudiedfortheirvertebratecommunities,someofwhicharealsolistedasgloballythreatened.Weconductedin-depthassessmentofterrestrialvertebratecommunities(smallmammals,bats,birds,reptilesandamphibians)particularlyincoastal,swamp,andriparianforest.

TEAM MEMBERS

IndiraDayangLacerna-Widmann(KFI)PeterWidmann(KFI)

Dr.SabineSchoppe(SPCP/KFI)DeborahD.vandenBeukel(KFI)

SiegfredH.Diaz(KFI)RolitoM.Dumalag(KFI)JoieD.Matillano(SPCP)

MiguelitoCervancia(SPCP)ArvinDiesmos(NationalMuseum)

ReneVillegas(PCSDS)

1

Widmann, l.et al., 2008. Conservation Studies on Palawan Biodiversity, Katala Foundation Inc., Puerto Princesa City, Philippines

Peter Widmann1, Rolito M. Dumalag1, Indira Dayang L. Widmann1, Klaus Lachenmaier2, Siegfred H. Diaz1, Deborah D. Villafuerte1 and Joie D. Matillano3

1KatalaFoundationIncorporated,SantiagoCompound,NationalHighway,SanJose,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines2 LandesjagdverbandBaden-Württemberg,Germany3WesternPhilippinesUniversity,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,PhilippinesEmailofcorrespondingauthor:[email protected]

AbstractWerecorded35mammalspeciesinfivelowlandforestsitesinthePagdananRangeandDumaranIsland,Palawan,PhilippinesduringtheBPExpedition ‘KatalaQuest’.Fiveof therecordedtaxaarelistedasgloballythreatenedbyIUCN(2008).

LowlandforestsinthePagdananRangeandonDumaranIslandharbourdiversemammalcommunities,equal or even exceeding those of already protected areas in the province.Thedata gathered aresuitablefortheidentificationofareasforbiodiversityconservationinthetwogenerallocations.Onedirectoutcomeofthe‘KatalaQuest’wasthelegalprotectionofthelargestremainingforestpatchofDumaranIslandundermunicipalordinance.

Keywords:conservationplanning,hunting,redlist

Introduction DespiterenewedinterestinthemammalfaunaofthePalawanfaunalregion,therearestillgapsintheknowledgeofstatusanddistributionformanymammalianspecieswithintheprovince(Esselstynet al. 2004).Particularlylessaccessiblepartsofthearchipelago,whichincludemostareasexceptcoastalecosystemsofthecentralmainisland,areinsufficientlysampled.

BiodiversityassessmentsofremaininglowlandforestsareofhighpriorityinPalawan.Theseecosystemsareextremelyvulnerabletohumanencroachment(Widmann1998).AnnualhumangrowthrateinPalawanis3.3%,comparedto2.3%overallinthePhilippines,causedbyhighbirthrateandsubstantialmigrationfromotherpartsofthenation.

ThePalawanCouncilforSustainableDevelopment,localgovernmentunitsandotherconcernedagenciestrytocopewiththischallengethroughtheStrategicEnvironmentalPlan,azonationsystemforlanduse,specificallydesignedforPalawan.Bydefault,areasofhigheraltitudesandsteeperreliefenjoystricterprotection,comparedto lowlandecosystemswith lesser inclinations.Whereas thispossibly isappropriate in termsofwatershedprotection,itisunlikelytoadequatelycoverpriorityareasforbiodiversityconservation,whichareexpectedtobesituatedinforestecosystemsofthelowland(Jakobs1988).

Thesurveysconductedinthecourseof‘KatalaQuest’Expeditionfocussedontwogeneralareasofpotentiallyhigh conservation priority, which at the same time so far had been very inadequately sampled in respecttomammals. The PagdananRange in northern Palawan comprises one of the larger forest blocks of thearchipelago. It is listedas ImportantBirdArea (Mallariet al. 2001).Dumaran Island is a landbridge island

Observations on the Mammals of Lowland Forests in the Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island, Palawan, Philippines

2


which is widely denuded of its original forest cover. Therefore its importance for biodiversity conservationwasoverlookeduntilrecentlywhenviablepopulationsofcriticallyendangeredPhilippinecockatoosCacatua haematuropygia andPhilippine forest turtleSiebenrockiella leytensiswerediscovered in the last remainingforestpatches(Widmann2001,Diesmoset al.2004).Bothareaswereidentifiedasprioritysitesforbiodiversityconservation(Anda&Tabangay-Baldera2004).

Members of KATALAFoundation conducted an expedition awarded by theBritishPetroleumConservationProgrammein2003tofill insomeof thegaps inknowledgeondistributionofmammals,birds,reptilesandamphibiansinthelowlandsofoneofthelargeforestblocks(PagdananRange)andadjacentDumaranIslandinnorthernPalawan.Wepresentthefindingsofrelevanceforconservation-planningformammals,inthispaper.

MethodsWeusedmistnets (6x2m;16mmmesh)andharp traps (1.80x1.80m, fourbank) for capturingbatsat theresearchsites.Netswereusuallysetintheunderstoreyinnaturalvegetationgapsoracrosscreeks;inS2weemployedacanopynetconsistingoffournetsontopofeachotherinalargerforestgap(Kunz&Kurta1988).Netswerecheckedfrom18.00to22.00hoursandagainearlyinthemorning.Netswereleftstandingfortwotothreenightsandthenmovedtoanotherlocation.

Theharptrapwasemployedinthesubcanopyinaboutthreetofivemetersheight.Itwasleftinoneplaceforuptofivenightsandthentransferredtoadifferentlocation.InonecaseitwasusedinfrontofaScotophiluscolonysituatedinanabandonedconcretebuilding.

Weuseddifferentdesignsoflivetrapsfornon-volantmammals.Circa20%consistedoflargecommercialrattraps(ca.40x15x15cm),20%medium-sizedcollapsibleShermantraps(ca.23x9x8cm),theremainingwerelocallymadecagetraps(ca.26x10x10).

Trapswerearrangedintraplinesconsistingofupto105traps,butusuallysplitupintwo,occasionallythreeseparatelines.Trapsweresetindistancesbetweenfivetotenmetersinlikelyrunways,infrontofholes,closetotreetrunksorfallenlogs(Gurnell&Flowerdew1994).About5%ofthetrapswereplacedelevatedfromtheground,particularlyonfallenlogsorlargelianas. Traps usually were baited with roast coconut covered with peanut butter.About 3%were baited with liveearthwormsorwithripefigsrespectively.Trapsweredailyre-baitedintheafternoon,orinthemorning,ifbaitwasremoved.Traplineswereoperatedfortwotothreedaysandthenmovedtoanotherplace.

Sturdyplasticbuckets(ca.50cmdeep,45cmdiameter)wereusedaspit-falltraps(Joneset al.1996).Bucketswereplacedatadistanceof5metersfromeachother.Holesdugweredeepenoughthatbucketrimswerelevelwiththeforestfloor.Eachtraplineconsistedof10to20buckets.Aplasticsheetrunningacrossthebucketsandsupportedwithwoodenstakeswasusedasguidingfence.Shorterplasticsheetsweresetin90degreeanglestowardsthemainfence,butleavingagapofca.10to15cmwhichallowedanimalstofollowthemainfence.Pit-falltrapswerenotbaited,butapieceofwoodwasprovidedincaseoffloodingandasshelter.Traplineswerecheckedatleasttwotimesaday,inthemorningandintheevening.Theywereleftinplacefromsevento22consecutivedays.

Smallcommercialmousetrapsbaitedwithcoconutandpeanutbutterwereattachedtosmallerbranchesandtwigs,butdidnotyieldanycaptures.

Adequacyofsamplingeffortwasassessedbyplottingspecies-catcheffortcurvesseparatelyfornets,trapsandpitfalltrapsforsmallmammals,mega-andmicro-bats.

Weuseddirectobservationsincludingspotlightingtocollectadditionalrecords,particularlyoflargermammals.Spotlightingwasdoneindifferentvegetationtypesfrom18.00toaround22.00hours.Indirectsignslikefaeces,tracksorfeedingsiteswerenoted.

Secondaryinformationwascollectedforselectedspeciesusinginformalinterviewswithkeyinformants, likehunters or forest product collectors (Martin 1995) and using laminated sheets showing colour illustrations,mostlyofsecretiveorrarespecies.Reliabilityofinformantswascross-checkedthroughinquiringaboutspecieswhichdonotoccurinthestudyarea(likedeer,tarsier).

3Observations on the Mammals of Lowland Forests...


Study areaPagdananRange isageographicallydistinct forestarea innorthernPalawan,bordered to thenorthby theMalampayaSound,totheeastbytheSuluSea,thesouthbyagapinthecordilleracreatedbyGinaratonRiver,andtothewestbytheSouth-ChinaSea.

The rangecoversaltitudes fromsea level toamaximumof661ma.s.l.,with thenotableexceptionofMt.Copas,anisolatedandinactivevolcanointhesoutheastofMalampayaSound(1,021m).

Thereareatleastthreepermanentandnumerousephemeralriversystemsinthearea.TheonlynaturallakeinPalawan, LakeMangguao, can also be found here.The area covers fivemunicipalities, namelyTaytay,Dumaran,SanVicente,RoxasandPuertoPrincesa.Fieldworkwas restricted to the former three.Naturalvegetationmainlyconsistsof lowlandandhillmixeddipterocarp forest.Mangrovesoccur inoftenextensivestands,particularlyinestuaries.Agriculturallanduseinthelowlandspredominantlyconsistsofricepaddies,coconut,mangoandcashewplantations.Encroachmentof the slopes isongoingandagricultural productscomprisemainlyuplandrice,cornandrootcrops,usuallygrown inshiftingcultivation.Fisheries in thesea,riversand lakeare importantsourcesof income.ThefishinggroundsofMalampayaSoundareofnationalimportance.

DumaranIslandisaland-bridgeislandintheSuluSea.Itisonlyseparatedbysevenkilometresofshallowsea(max.depth16m)fromthemainland.Theterrainismostlyhillywiththehighestelevationsjustbelow200ma.s.l.inthesouth-centralportionoftheisland.Alongthesouthcoasttwofjord-likebaysarereachinginlandforseveralkilometres.DumaranIslandcoversthetwomunicipalitiesAraceliandDumaran.Fieldworkonlywasconductedinthelatter.

Thevegetationconsistsmainlyofgrassland,shrubswithpatchesofresidualforests.Shiftingcultivationandcattlegrazingare themostcommon landuse forms.Maincashcropsarecoconut,cashew,cornand rice.Forestpatchesofuptotwohectaresstillexistonsomesteeperslopes.Alargerselectivelyloggedforestpatchof 117 ha still can be found in the higher portions ofDumaranmunicipality.Mangrove andnatural coastalvegetationisstillextensive,particularlyalongthewestcoastandinprotectedbaysofthesouthcoastandinsmallerpatchesonthenorthandeastcoast.Mainlivelihoodactivitiesalongthecoastsarefisheryandcoconutcultivation.Extensiveseagrassbedsandtidalflatsexistalongthewestandsouthcoasts.

Survey sitesSurveyshavebeenconducted infivesites (S1-S5).ThreeweresituatedonmainlandPalawanand twoonDumaranIsland(Fig.1).

S1) Sitio Binaluan, Brgy. Liminangcong, Taytay.Vegetationconsistedofamosaicofoverloggedlowlandforest,mangroveandcultivatedareas(uplandrice,coconut).

Elevationrangedbetweensealevelto60ma.s.l.Trappingandnettingwasdoneinresidualforestandacrosstheforest-agriculturalecotone.Mosttrappingsiteswereclosetoapermanentcreek.Canopyheightwasaround28mwithemergentsreachingupto45m.SomeconspicuoustreetaxawerePometia pinnata, Koordersiodendron pinnatum, Intsia bijuga, Dipterocarpus spp., manyofwhichwerebuttressed.Understoreycoverwasmoderatewith tree seedlings, ferns, Selaginella, Caryota and Costus.Vinesincluded Calamus, and Araceae. Epiphytes weremoderatelycommonandcontainedorchids,Aspleniumandother ferns.Screwpalms (Pandanaceae) were rare, Musa and Ficusuncommon.

Thesoiltypewasofasandyloamytype,withsuperficialhumusandalmostclosedleaflitter.Rockexposurewasmoderate,fallenlogswerecommon.Arockfallcaveinthehigherslopeswasreportedbylocals,butnotvisitedbyus.

On-sitedisturbances included lowlevelsofCarabao logging(loggingusingwaterbuffalostohaul the logs),snaringandcollectionofrattan.Adjacentclearedlandwasalmostentirelycoveredwithpastoralweeds,likeLantana camara and Chromolaena odorata,andpatchesofgrassesandshrubs.

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Figure 1. Survey areas in northern Palawan (circles): 1) Binaluan, Bgy. Liminancong, Taytay, 2) CarabaoBreedingCenter,Brgy.Kemdeng,SanVicente,3)Ilianwatershed,Brgy.Ilian,Dumaran,4)Lagan,Brgy.SanJuan,Dumaran,5)Omoi,Brgy.Sto.Tomas,Dumaran.Smallmap:locationofthedetailmapwithinPalawan.

Wehad84netnightsintheforestand12incultivatedareasandsevenharptrapnightsintheforestcanopy.Wehad482trapand100pit-falltrapnightsintheforest.

S2) Forest near Carabao Breeding Center, Kemdeng, San Vicente.ThesitewassituatedontheSouth-ChinaSeacoastofPalawan.Vegetationconsistedofoverloggedlowlandforestandextensivemeadowsforwaterbuffalos,with interspersedricepaddies,smallwetlandsandshrub.Aperennialriverwasborderedbydisruptedstretchesofriparianforest.Asmaller,rapidlyflowingcreekwasfoundintheforestedareas.

Theelevationrangedfromca.10ma.s.l.intheriparianforest,toabout100ma.s.l.intheforest.Theterraininthecultivatedportionwasnearlyflat, in theforestrollingtoverysteep,particularlyalongtheriverbanks.Canopyheightinhigherelevationswascirca24m,withsingleemergentsreaching48m.CanopyformingtaxaincludedDipterocarpus spp., Intsia bijuga, Dracontomelon dao, Palaquium sp., Myristica sp.,mostofthemwithbuttresses.Thesubcanopyintheupperforestportionwasquiteopen,understoreydensetoverydense,withdifferentspeciesoffernsandtreesaplingsdominating.Diversityofepiphyteswasincreasingdramaticallywithaltitudealongthecreekwithorchidsandfernscommoninca.100ma.s.l.Pandanus spp. were rare, Ficus and Musa weremoderatelycommon.



Soilwasclayishandlightgreyincolour,humuscoverwasnotclosed.Exposedrocksandfallenlogswererare.Soilwasheavilydisturbedinthelowerforestportionsduetothepresenceofwaterbuffalos.Thismightpartlyalsoexplain the forPalawanunusuallyhighdensityof leeches in thearea.Aside fromthat,sparse loggingseemedtooccur. Vegetation in the lower slopes was heavily degraded with dense stands of ferns, Imperata cylindrica and pioneering tree species like Trema orientalis, Archiodendron sp. Small patches were planted withAcacia mangium. Themeadowareasweredominatedbygrassvegetation,withpatchesofdensepastoralweeds,likeLantana camara and Chromolaena odorata.

Ofatotalof62netnights,24wereinmatureforestand38inyoungsecondaryforestandopenareas.Wehadtwo harp trap nights in front of a Scotophilus colonysituatedinashed,andtwoinacanopygapintheforest.

Wesetonepit-falltraplineintheforestwith140trapnights.Wesettwotraplinesintheforestwithatotalof630trapnights.

S3) Ilian watershed, Dumaran.IlianRiverisoneofthelargerriversystemsinnorthernPalawan.Itsbankswereborderedbymangrovevegetation(mainlyRhizophoraspp. and Nypa fruticanswithscatteredSonneratia alba and Xylocarpus granatum) reachingfarupriver.Thevalleyfloorwasmainlyundercultivation(fruitplantations,uplandandirrigatedrice).Theslopeswerestillmainlyforested,butencroachmentthroughshiftingcultivatorsandillegalloggingwererampant.

Inthissitewemainlyconductedvisualobservations,includingspotlightinginavarietyofvegetationtypes.Wecoveredanaltitudinalrangefromsealevelto100ma.s.l.Wehadtwonetnightsand12trapemployinglivetrapssetinsideanddirectlyoutsideahousewithinIlianvillage.

S4) Mangrove and coconut area in Sitio Lagan on Dumaran Island. ThesitecontainedoneofthelargestmangroveareasonDumaran Islandwithpartlyverydistinct zonation.Othernatural vegetation formswerebeachforestsandsmallpatchesofcoastalforest.

Ourstudysitewaswithinanoldcoconutplantation (ca.80yearsold).Singlepalmsreachedheightsup to45m.Trees typical forcoastal forestcouldbe foundwithin theplantation, indenseclusters inplaces, likeDiospyros cf. discolor, Terminalia catappa, Pongamia pinnata. SeawardstheplantationwasborderedbybeachforestcontainingforexampleErythrina orientalis, Barringtonia asiatica and Albizia acle. Themangrovewasdominated by Rhizophora spp.

Soilinthedryportionwassandywithsuperficialandopenhumuslayer.Leaflitterwaspatchy.

Wehad12netnightsintheareaandconductedspotlightingandroostcountsforflyingfoxes.

S5) Omoi forest patch on western Dumaran Island. Thestudysitewassituatedina117halargeoverloggedlowlandforestpatch,surroundedbyshiftingcultivationandlargeareasofsecondarybamboogrowth.Accordingtotheolderlocalpopulation,thesurroundingareawasalreadydeforestedwhiletheywereyoung.Large-scaleloggingapparentlyoccurredalreadyalmost300yearsago,withthearrivaloftheSpanishontheisland.

Altitudefromadryriverbedtotheridgerangedfrom35to70a.s.l.Canopyheightwasabout25m.Treeswereoflowdiameterclasses,virtuallyalllargerindividuals,particularlyIntsia bijuga,werecut,withstumpsstillpresent.ThesubcanopyandunderstoreywasdensetoverydensewithmostlysaplingsandArecapalms.

Itwasverydryduringthetrappingperiodandleaflitterwascompletelyclosed.Fallenlogsinlargerdiameterclasseswhich retainedsomehumiditywerecommon.Adjacent to the forestpatchwereoldslash-and-burnfields,withverydenseunderstorey,andaneightmeterhighcanopyformedbyclumpsofbamboo.Small-scaleloggingwasstillongoing.

Wehad18netnightsand112trapnightsintheforest.Wehadthreepit-falltraplinesfromtheridgetothedrycreek,andonelineinanovergrownslash-and-burnfarm,withatotalof660trapnights.

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ResultsInthefivesiteswerecorded35mammalspeciesandtwoadditionalspecieshavebeenreportedbylocalhunters(Tab.1).Sixtaxaarecurrentlygloballythreatened,fourspeciesnearthreatenedandoneisdatadeficient(IUCN2008).

Crocidura cf. batakorum – White-toothed shrew

Twospeciesofshrew,Crocidura palawanensisandtherecentlydescribedC.batakorum arecurrentlyrecordedfromPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004,Hutterer2007). Werecordedsmall-sized Crocidura sp.inpit-falltrapsinS5.Inthefourpit-falltraplines,wecaughttwoindividualsontopoftheridge,twointhemiddleslope,threeclosetoanephemeralcreek,andthreeinyoungsecondaryforestclosetotheresidualforestecotone.Onespecimenwasobtainedfromapit-falltrapinBinaluan,Taytay(S1)onthemainlandPalawan.ExternalmeasurementsaresmallerthanthosegiveninSanborn(1952)forC. palawanensis,andmatchthosegivenbyHutterer(2007).WethereforepreliminarilyascribeourspecimenstoC. batakorum.

Wenevercaughtshrewswithmethodsotherthanpit-falltraps,whichmightpartlyexplainthescarcityofrecordsfromPalawanuntil now, since this techniquewasnot yet employedover extendedperiodsof times in thearchipelago.

Suncus murinus – Asian house shrewIntroducedtothePhilippines,includingPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).WeobservedthespeciesinahouseinS3,butnotinanysiteorsettlementonDumaranIsland.

Tupaia palawanensis – Palawan tree-shrew Endemic to Palawan faunal region, where it occurs in all kind of forests, including agricultural plantations(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wecommonlyobservedandtrappedthespeciesinallmainlandsites.Werecordeditinavarietyofvegetationtypesrangingfromtreeplantations,secondarygrowthtomatureforestonPalawan,howevernotfromDumaranIsland.

Cynopterus brachyotis – Common short-nosed fruit batAbundantandinawiderangeofvegetationtypesinthePhilippinesandinPalawan,includingcultivatedareas(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wecommonlynettedthespeciesinallsites.InS2itwastheonlybatspeciescaughtinmistnets.

Eonycteris spelaea – Common nectar batCommoninagriculturalareasinthePhilippines,includinginPalawan,howeverreliantoncaves(Heaneyet al. 1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WenettedthisspeciesonlyinS1inanagriculturalareaandresidualforest.Wealsoobservedmedium-sizedfruitbatsinadjacentmangrove(Rhizophora and Sonneratia),howeverfailedtorecordanyflowervisits.Localsreportedthatbatswereobserved,butnotpersecutedinarockfallcaveclosetothestudysite.

Macroglossus minimus – Dagger-toothed flower batAbundantinthePhilippinesandcommoninPalawaninawidevarietyofhabitats(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wecaughtthespeciesinresidualandsecondaryforest,meadowsandcoconutplantationsinallsites,exceptS2.

Pteropus vampyrus – Large flying fox NEAR THREATENEDWidespread,butdeclininginlowlandforestandagriculturalareasinthePhilippines,includingPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).



Species Binaluan, Taytay (S1)

Kemdeng, Sn. Vicente (S2)

Ilian, Dumaran(S3)

Lagan, Dum. (S4)

Omoi ForestPatch Dum. (S5)

Crocidura cf. batakorum C C

Suncus murinus O

Tupaia palawanensis C C O

Cynopterus brachyotis C C C C C

Eonycteris spelaea C

Macroglossus minimus C C C C

Pteropus cf. vampyrus O O O O O

Rousettus amplexicaudatus O

Megaderma spasma C

Hipposideros diadema C C C C

Rhinolophus acuminatus C

Rhinolophus arcuatus s C

Rhinolophus virgo C

Kerivoula hardwickii. C C C

Murina cyclotis C

Scotophilus kuhlii C

cf. Scotophilus kuhlii O O O O

Macaca fascicularis O O O O

Manis culionensis S S

Hylopetes nigripes O O

Sundasciurus juvencus C O O O O

Chiropodomys calamianensis C

Haeromys pusillus C

Maxomys panglima C C C

Mus musculus C

Rattus exulans C C

Rattus tanezumi C O O C

Rattus tiomanicus C

Hystrix pumila S O S S S

Prionailurus bengalensis S S

Amblonyx cinereus S O S

Mydaus marchei S O O

Arcticits binturong O O S

Paradoxurus hermaphroditus C* S S S S

Sus ahoenobarbus O O O O

Dugong dugon O

Table 1: Mammal species recorded from the survey sites

C: caught, O: observed, S: secondary information.* One individual was brought to us by locals. It was caught in a wire snare. Because it was left there for a long time

the entangled leg got infected. It died some hours after we received it.

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Wecounted70individualsataroostinRhizophorasp.inmangroveinS4.Weassumethatmostlargeflyingfoxesweobservedforaginginallothersitesbelongtothisspecies.

ThespeciesishuntedforfoodinDumaranIsland(S4,S5)andinBinaluan(S1).

Rousettus amplexicaudatus – Common rousetteWidespread,mostlyinlowlandagriculturalareasandlesssoindisturbedandprimaryforest.AllroostsknowninthePhilippinessofararefromcaves(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wefoundoneroostinasolitarypalm Corypha elatainS3.Atleast40individualswereroostinginbetweenthedeadanddroopingleaves.InthemeantimeWidmann(unpubl.data)foundasimilarroostinPuertoPrincesatownproperinthesamepalmspecies,containingatleast20bats.Thespecieswasmainlyidentifiedbyitssizeandtheclickingsoundsproducedwhileroostingorforaging.

Megaderma spasma – Common Asian ghost batCommoninprimaryandsecondaryforestinthePhilippines,includingPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WeonlynettedthisspeciesinS1inresidualforest.

Hipposideros diadema – Diadem roundleaf batCommoninsecondarygrowthandprimaryforest inthePhilippines, includingPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstyn et al.2004).

Wecaughtthespeciesinresidualandsecondaryforest,inpastureandcoconutplantationinallsites,exceptS3.InS1anindividualwascaughtintheharptrapin6mheight.

Rhinolophus acuminatus – Acuminate horseshoe batWithinthePhilippinesonlyknownfromthePalawanfaunalregion(Heaneyet al.1998),inPalawanrecordedinbamboothicketsandprimaryforest(Esselstynet al.2004).InBorneorecordedinlowlanddipterocarpforest(Payneet al.1985).

WecaughtthespeciesinsecondaryforestandadjacentpasturelandinS1.Itoccurredsyntopicwiththetwoother Rhinolophusspeciesrecordedduringthissurvey.

Rhinolophus arcuatus s – Arcuate horseshoe batWidespreadthroughoutoceanicPhilippinesandlocallycommonwhereasmallerlowlandmorphisassociatedwithcavesinagriculturalareas(Heaneyet al.1998).RecentlyrecordedfromthePalawanfaunalregionfrommature,butdisturbedforest(Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtthespeciesinS1inresidualforestandpastureland.

Rhinolophus virgo – Yellow-faced horseshoe batEndemictothePhilippines,includingPalawan,whereitwasrecordedinsecondaryandprimaryforest(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtthespeciesinresidualforestinS1.

Kerivoula hardwickii – Common woolly batInoceanicPhilippinesinforestshigherthan500ma.s.l.(Heaneyet al.1998),inPalawanalsorecordedfromthelowlandinbamboothicketsandhigherelevation(650ma.s.l.;Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtthespeciesinS1inaresidualforest,inS4inacoconutplantation,andinS5inadryriverbedinoverloggedforest.

Murina cyclotis – Round-eared tube-nosed batInoceanicPhilippinesmoderatelycommoninprimaryandslightlydisturbedlowlandandlowermontaneforest(Heaneyet al.1998).



TwoindividualswerecaughtinmistnetsinS5inadryriverbedinoverloggedforest.ThisisthefirstrecordofthisspeciesfromthePalawanfaunalregion.

Scotophilus kuhlii – Lesser Asian house batAbundantinurbanandagriculturalareasinthePhilippines,includingPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtthespecieswithaharptrapinanabandonedhouseinapastureinS2,duringemergenceatdusk.Weassumethathighflyinglarge-bodiedmicrochiropteransforagingintheopenskyinS1-4belongedtothisspeciesaswell.

Macaca fascicularis – Long-tailed macaque NEARTHREATENEDWidespreadinthePhilippines(Heaneyet al.1998)andcommoninsecondaryandprimaryforestsupto1,000minPalawan(Esselstynet al.2004).

Werecordedthespeciesinallsites,exceptS4.ObservationsinDumaranwerefewercomparedtositesinthemainland.Thespeciesishuntedandtrappedinallsiteswhereitisrecorded.InDumaranskullsaresoldtoamiddlemanandapparentlydestinedforJapan.

Manis culionensis – Palawan anteater NEARTHREATENED EndemictoPalawanfaunalregionandpossiblyfairlycommoninforestsandalsodegradedareas(Esselstynet al.2004).

Wedidnotencounterthisspeciesinoursurveys.However,huntersclaimeditspresenceinS1andS2,whereitiscaughtforsubsistencepurposes.ThespeciesissaidnottooccuronDumaranIsland.

Hylopetes nigripes – Palawan flying squirrel NEARTHREATENEDEndemictoPalawanfaunalregionwhereit isfoundinprimaryandsecondarylowlandforest(Heaneyet al. 1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WefrequentlyheardthespeciesinS1andS2duringnighttimeandspotlightedoneindividualclimbingupatreeinS2.

Sundasciurus juvencus – Northern Palawan tree squirrel Endemicandcommoninavarietyoftree-dominatedvegetationtypesinthePalawanfaunalregion(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Werecordedthisspeciesinallstudysites,includingagriculturalareaswithtreecoverandcoconutplantations.OnefreshlykilledspecimenwasbroughttousbylocalsfromamangroveareanearS1.Itsexternalmeasurementsareslightly largerandthecoloration(greyupperside,whiteunderside)differs fromother individualsof thisspecies.

Chiropodomys calamianensis – Palawan pencil-tailed tree mouse DATADEFICIENTPoorly-knowntree-dwellingmuridendemictothePalawanfaunalregion(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al. 2004).

Wecaught only one individual of this speciesbyhand in a nipahut close toS5.Our efforts to trapmoreindividualswithsmallsnaptrapsinthesurroundingvegetationandthehutwereunsuccessful.

Haeromys pusillus – Lesser ranee mouse VULNERABLEThissmallarborealmuridisendemictoBorneoandthePalawanfaunalregion(Esselstynet al.2004).

One individualwascaught inapit-fall trap inanoverloggedevergreen lowland forestnearKemdeng,SanVicente(S2).Wetentativelyidentifieditasbelongingtothisspeciesbasedonexternalmeasurementsandtoestructureofthehindfeet.

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Maxomys panglima – Palawan spiny ratEndemictothePalawanfaunalregionwhereitiscommonlyrecordedinsecondaryandprimaryforests(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wefrequentlycaughtthespeciesinoldsecondaryforestandold-growthforestinS1andS2onPalawanandinS5onDumaranIsland.Weonlycaptureditintrapssetontheground,neverinelevatedones(e.g.fallenlogs,treestumps,lianatangle).

Mus musculus – House mouseCommensalinandnearsettlementsinPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wecaughtone inahouse in Ilian,Dumaran (mainland)nearS3.According to secondary information, thisspeciesisnotknownfromDumaranIsland.

Rattus exulans – Polynesian ratIntroducedandfoundinagriculturalareasandsecondaryforestinPalawan(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Weonlyrecordedthespecies froma forestpatch inS5. Itwascaught in largenumbers inricepaddiesbyemployeesoftheCarabaoBreedingCentreclosetoS2.

Rattus tanezumi – Oriental house ratCommonandintroducedspeciesinresidentialandagriculturalareasandindisturbedforests(Heaneyet al. 1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtthespeciesinforestinS1andS5.RatsobservedinhousesclosetoS3andS4likelyalsobelongedtothisspecies.

Rattus tiomanicus – Malaysian field ratThis indigenousrat is recorded inPalawan inavarietyofhabitats, fromsecondary forest,scrub,cultivatedareas,grassland-forestmosaicandinthetransitionzonebetweenmontaneandcloudforest(Esselstynet al. 2004).

Wecaughtitinold-growthforestinS2.

Hystrix pumila – Palawan porcupine VULNERABLEEndemictothePalawanfaunalregionandrecordedfromforest-grasslandmosaics,secondaryandprimarylowlandforests(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wespotlightedone individual insecondary forest inS2.Crediblesecondary information for itspresence isavailablefromallsites.AsidefromSusahoenobarbus,thisispossiblythemostpopularmammalforhuntingandtrapping inthearea.Populationsmightdecreaserapidly,andpopulationsurveysthereforeareurgentlyneeded.

Prionailurus bengalensis – Leopard cat Recordedinagriculturalareasandforestsuptoabout1500ma.s.l.(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

Wedidnotobservethiswildcat,butsecondaryrecordsindicateitspresenceinS1andS2.ThespeciesseemsnottobeknownfromDumaranIsland.

Amblonyx cinereus – Oriental small-clawed otter VULNERABLERecordedfromcoastalareasandrivers(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

We foundpugmarks on the river banks ofKemdengRiver (S2) and received secondary information fromsightingsinmangroveinS1andS4.Accordingtointerviewrespondentsthespeciesissometimeshuntedforfood. Mydaus marchei – Palawan stink badger ThespeciesisstillwidelydistributedoverPalawanIsland(Esselstynet al.2004)andtoleratesconsiderablehabitatmodification(Widmann&Widmann2004.



OnejuvenilewasspotlightedwithinthesettlementofIlian,Dumaran(S3)whileforaginginadumpsite.AnotheradultindividualwasobservedduringherpinginpasturelandoftheCarabaoBreedingCenter,Kemdeng,SanVicente(S2).

Arctictis binturong whitei – Palawan bearcat VULNERABLEThisendemicsubspeciesisrestrictedtoprimaryandsecondarylowlandforestsofthePalawanfaunalregion(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

TracksofoneindividualwerefoundinmudofariverbankinBinaluan,Taytay(S1).Largerscats,containingseveralseedsandremnantsoffruitspresumablybelongingtothisspecieswerefoundinKemdeng,SanVicente(S2).ThespeciesisapparentlynotknownfromDumaranIsland.

Paradoxurus hermaphroditus – Common palm civet Recordedfromagriculturalareasandforest(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstynet al.2004).

WecaughtandreleasedoneindividualinacagetrapinsecondaryforestinS2,anothersnaredanimalwithseverelyinfectedlegwasbroughttousbylocalsfromS1.Wereceivedsecondaryinformationofthespeciesfromallsites. P. hermaphroditus issubjecttomoderatehuntingpressureforfoodandduetoitsreputationofpreyingondomesticchickens

Sus ahoenobarbus – Palawan bearded pig VULNERABLEThisspeciesisendemictoPalawanandisrecordedinforestecosystemsinallaltitudes(Heaneyet al.1998,Esselstyn et al.2004).

Tracksandruttingsitesof thisspecieswerefound inallstudyareas.WereceivedadentaleofasubadultindividualfromhuntersinS2.Despitethefactthatthespeciesisunderhuntingpressure,itstillseemstobecommononthemainlandsites,butlesssoonDumaranIsland.Inthelatter,meatissoldtoatraderandpossiblyresoldinthecentralVisayas.

Dugong dugon – Dugong VULNERABLEInshallowwaterswithseagrassbeds(Heaneyet al.1998).

Oneindividualwascaught inafish-trap inamangrovechannelnearLagan,DumaranIsland(S4)andwasslaughteredbylocalfisherfolks.

DiscussionCapture-effort curves levelled out for understorey fruit bats captured inmist nets and for small mammalscapturedinliveandsnaptraps.ForpitfalltrapsitlevelledoutinDumaranIsland,butnotonPalawanIsland.Micro-batsareverylikelynotwellrepresentedthroughmist-nettingandharp-trappingalone,andmorespeciesaretobeexpectedfromtheareausingothercapturingmethods(e.g.tunneltraps).

Largermammalswhichwedidnotobserveandwhichwerenot reported tousduring thissurveycomprisePalawanflyingfoxAcerodon leucotis,short-tailedmongooseHerpestes brachyurusandMalaycivetViverra tangalunga.Wecannot ruleout that thesespeciespersist in theareaandevenarehunted,butcannotbediscriminatedbyhuntersfromothermorecommonspecies.

Despitethesepossiblegapsintherecords,thelowlandforestsofthePagdananRangeandDumaranIslandturnouttoberichinmammalianspecies,includingheavilyhuntedones.NoteworthyistheapparentabsenceofsometaxafromDumaranIsland,likeManis culionensis or Arctictis binturong.GiventheongoingforestdestructionandfragmentationsinceSpanishtimesinthisarea,thesespeciesmighthavebecomelocallyextinct.NeverthelessyieldedthelastlargerforestpatchonDumaranspecimensofotherwiserarelyorunrecordedmammalspecies,like Crocidura sp., Murina cyclotis or Chiropodomys calamianensis, highlightingtheconservationvalueofthissmallareawithinthislandbridgeisland.Inthemeantimetheresidualforestwheresomeofourrecordscamefromwasdeclaredas‘OmoiCockatooReserve’undermunicipalordinanceofDumaran.

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Recentconservationplanning,coveringtheentirePalawanfaunalregion,resultedintheidentificationofthefourlargestremainingforestblocks,includingthePagdananRange,asconservationpriorityareas(Onget al. 2002,Anda&Tabangay-Baldera2004).

Landuseplanning inPalawanso far isheavilybasedonbothaltitudeandslope.Areasofhigheraltitudesandsteeperrelieftendtohaveastricterprotection,thansuchinloweraltitudesorwhicharelesssteep.Thisstrategyprimarilyaimsatwatershedprotection,particularlynutrientretentionanderosioncontrol.Atthesametime,populationpressuretendstobelowerintheseremoteareas,thaninthoseclosertothecoast.

Followingtheparadigmthatlowlandtropicalforestsarericherinspeciesthansubmontaneormontaneforestsin the tropics (Jacobs 1988), the current zoning practice seems not to be adequate to facilitatemaximumbiodiversityconservationinPalawan.

WorkshopsconductedthroughtheCriticalEcosystemsPartnershipFundfrom2003onwardsinPalawanaimedtoidentifyareasforconservationpriorities,throughusingexistinginformationondistributionofspecies(Anda&Tabangay-Baldera,2004).

It turned out, that available data on distribution on most taxa are too scanty to come up with fine-tunedrecommendations for zonation, particularly for the four large forest blocks. The data on diverse mammalcommunitiesinthePagdananRangehighlightstheconservationpriorityoftheselowlandareasinPalawan.Onlyoneofthesites(S1)iswithinanexistingprotectedareaoftheMalampayaSound.Wesuggestthattheforested portions of the PagdananRange should be declared as protected area, particularly including thefragmentedanddegradedlowlandforests.

AcknowledgmentsWewish to thank the BPConservation Programme through its sponsors, British Petroleum, ConservationInternational,FaunaandFloraInternational,BirdlifeInternationalandWildlifeConservationSocietywhograntedusasilverawardfortheKatalaQuestandmadethisBPExpeditionpossible.

WearegratefulforthesupportofthePalawanCouncilforSustainableDevelopmentandtheProtectedAreasandWildlifeBureau(DENR).OurdeepestthanksalsotothelocalgovernmentsofDumaran,TaytayandSanVicenteandtothepeopleoftheareafortheirhospitalityandcooperation.

Wearegrateful toLoroParqueFundacion (LPF)andFundingPartners:ConservationdesEspècesetdesPopulationsAnimales(CEPA),ZoologischeGesellschaftfürArten-undPopulationsschutz(ZGAP;incl.Fondsfür Bedrohte Papageien and Strunden-Papageien-Stiftung), North of England Zoological Society (ChesterZoologicalGardens)fortheirconsistentandvaluablesupport.

WethankKlausLachenmaierforhisvaluablecommentsonaformerversionofthispaper.

LiteratureAnda,R.D.& J.G.Tabangay-Baldera (eds.) 2004.Surublien:Strategies to conservePalawan’s biodiversity. Provincial government of

Palawan,PCSDS,DENRReg.IV.PNNI,CIPhilippines.Gurnell,J.&J.R.Flowerdew.1994:Livetrappingsmallmammals:Apracticalguide.OccasionalPublicationNo.3.TheMammalSociety,

London,U.K.Diesmos,A.C,G.V.A.Gee,M.L.Diesmos,R.M.Brown,P.J.Widmann&J.C.Dimalibot,2004:RediscoveryofthePhilipineforestturtle,

Hesemys leytensis(Chelonia,Bataguridae),fromPalawanisland,Philippines.AsiaticHerpetologicalResearch10:22-27.Heaney,L.R.,D.S.Balete,M.L.Dolar,A.C.Alcala,A.T.L.Dans,P.C.Gonzales,N.R. Ingle,M.V.Lepiten,W.L.R.Oliver,P.S.Ong,E.A.

Rickart,B.R.Tabaranza,Jr.&R.C.B.Utzurrum.1998:AsynopsisoftheMammalianFaunaofthePhilippineIslands.Fieldiana:ZoologyNewSeriesNo.88.FieldMuseumofNaturalHistory,Chicago,USA.

Hutterer,R.2007.RecordsofshrewsfromPanayandPalawan,Philippines,withthedescriptionoftwonewspeciesofCrocidura(Mammalia:Soricidae).Lynxn.s.38:5-20.

IUCN,2008:2008IUCNRedListofthreatenedspecies.www.redlist.org.DownloadedonOctober30,2008.Jacobs,M.1988.Thetropicalrainforest–afirstencounter.Springer,Berlin.Germany.Jones,C.,W.J.McShea,M.J.Conroy&T.H.Kunz.1996:Capturingmammals.InWilson,D.E.,F.R.Cole,J.D.Nichols,R.Rudran&M.S.

Foster(eds.)Measuringandmonitoringbiologicaldiversity–Standardmethodsformammals.SmithsonianInstitutionPress,Washington,D.C.,USA.

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Kunz,ThomasH.&AllenKurta,1988:Capturemethodsandholdingdevices.Pp.1-29.InKunz,ThomasH.(ed.)Ecologicalandbehaviouralmethodsforthestudyofbats.SmithsonianInstitutionPress,Washington,D.C.,USA.

Martin,G.J.1995:Ethnobotany.ChapmanandHall,2-6BoundaryLow,London.U.K.Mallari,N.A.D.,B.R.TabaranzaJr.&M.J.Crosby,2001:KeyConservationsitesinthePhilippines.HaribonBirdLifeInternational,Manila,

Philippines.Ong,P.S.,L.E.Afuang&R.G.Rosell-Ambal(eds.)2002:PhilippineBiodiversityConservationPriorities:Aseconditerationofthenational

biodiversitystrategyandactionplan.DepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResources-ProtectedAreasandWildlifeBureau,ConservationInternationalPhilippines,BiodiversityConservationProgram-UniversityofthePhilippinesCenterforIntegrativeandDevelopmentStudiesandFoundationforthePhilippineEnvironment,QuezonCity,Philippines.

Payne,J.,C.M.Francis,&K.Phillipps.1985.AfieldguidetothemammalsofBorneo.SabahSociety,KotaKinabalu.Sanborn,C.C.1952.PhilippineZoologicalexpeditions1946-1947:Mammals.Fieldiana:Zoology33:89-158.Widmann,P.,1998:AguidetoecosystemsofPalawan.TimesEditions,Singapore.Widmann,P.,2001:DistributionandstatusofthePhilippinecockatoo(Cacatua haematuropygia)inthewild.Unpubl.Discussionpaper.

32pp.Widmann,P.&I.D.Widmann2004.EcologyandconservationofthePalawanstinkbadger Mydaus marchei Huet,1887.SmallCarnivore

Conservation30:16-17.

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The Birds of Pagdanan Range, Lake Manguao and Malampaya Sound, Northern Palawan, PhilippinesJoie D. Matillano1, Peter Widmann2 and Klaus Lachenmaier3

1WesternPhilippinesUniversity,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines2KatalaFoundationInc.,P.O.Box390,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines3LandesjagdverbandBaden-Württemberg,GermanyEmailofcorrespondingauthor:[email protected]

AbstractNorthernmainlandPalawanholdsoneof the largestcontinuousblocksof lowland rainforest in thePhilippines.Twoimportantbirdareas(IBA)aresituatedinthearea,namelyElNidoTaytayManagedResourceProtectedAreaandSan-Vicente-Taytay-Roxasforests.ThelattercomprisesthePagdananRangeandconnectswiththeMalampayaSoundProtectedLandscapeandSeascape.AtleastthreeKeyBiodiversityAreasarerecognizedwithinthearea,includingtheformertwoIBAsmentioned,plusLakeManguao,whichliesintheperipheryofPagdananRange.DespitetheimportanceofnorthernPalawan for conservation, informationonbiodiversity, includingbirdswasscantyuntil recently.Wereportontheresultsofanornithologicalsurveyinfoursitesofthearea.Werecordedatotalof141birdspecies,withninespeciescurrentlyconsideredgloballythreatenedandeightspecies‘nearthreatened’.Aggregationsofwaterbirds inLakeManguaosuggest that theareamaydeserve tobe includedasaRamsar site.The avifauna of the area is threatenedmainly by habitat destruction and by directpersecution,eitherforthelivebirdtradeorasbushmeat.BecauseofitsdiversebirdcommunitiesandimportanceaslinkbetweentwoexistingprotectedareasinPalawan,werecommendthattheareaisawardedastricterconservationstatus,asiscurrentlythecase.

Keywords:bushmeat,conservation,pettrade,Ramsar,redlist,lowlandrainforest,wetlands.

IntroductionTheavifaunaoflargeportionsofnorthernPalawanhasbeenpoorlystudiedinthepast,thusonlyincompletedataareavailable.PagdananRangewasincludedinthePhilippineImportantBirdAreas(IBA;Mallariet al. 2001).Itwasalsoidentifiedasoneofthepriorityconservationareasforterrestrialbiodiversityintheprovince(AndaandTabangay-Baldera2004).Recently, itwas includedasoneof theKeyBiodiversityAreasof thePhilippines,togetherwithMalampayaSoundProtectedLandscapeandSeascape,andLakeManguaoanditswatershed(CIandDENR2004). PagdananRangeiscomprisedofalargeblockofoldgrowthforestbetweentheboundariesofthemunicipalitiesofRoxas,SanVicenteandTaytay.Muchof thearea is low-lyingand thehillshaveamaximumaltitudeof701m,sothattheentireareaispotentiallycoveredbylowlandandsubmontaneforest.Mostofitisnotofficiallyprotectedatpresent;howeveranintegratedmanagementplanhasbeenpreparedforthePalawanBiosphereReserveundertheEnvironmentallyCriticalAreasNetwork(ECAN),whichaimstozonetheislandaccordingtodifferentintensitiesofhumanactivities.From1975-1993,theforestsinSanVicente,TaytayandRoxaswerecommerciallyloggedbyPagdananTimberProducts,whichmainlytargeteddipterocarps.ThishassignificantlyreducedtheforestareaandqualityofPagdananRange.RoxasandTaytaywereconsideredasamongthe

The Birds of Pagdanan Range, Lake Manguao and Malampaya Sound... 15


illegallogginghotspotsofPalawan(AndaandTabangay-Baldera2004).Presenceofsinglegloballythreatenedbirdspecieswasknownforthearea(hencethelistingofIBA’s),butcomprehensiveornithologicalsurveysweresofarnotcarriedout.

Study AreaPagdananRangeislocatedat10046’Nand11920’E.Maximumaltitude in the area reaches only 701m.Theareaischaracterizedbyexcessively-loggedlowlandforestwithlargepatchesofagriculturallandsand human settlements. However, there are stilllarge tracts of old growth forest left in the interior.Organized commercial illegal logging activities arestillongoing,particularlywithin the forestsbetweenRoxas and San Vicente, as well as in peripheralareasofTaytay.

Inthefollowing,eachstudysiteisbrieflydescribed.

1)Sitio Binaluan, Bgy. Liminangcong, Taytay (S1). TheareaisperipherallyconnectedtothePagdananRange.Vegetation consists of over-logged lowlandforest,mangrove areas and patches of agriculturallands.2) Forest near Carabao Breeding Center, Kemdeng, San Vicente (S2).ThesiteislocatedinthenorthwestcoastofPalawan.Vegetationconsistsofover-loggedlowlandforestandextensivemeadowsfor water buffalos, with scattered rice fields, smallwetlandsandshrub.Aperennialriverisborderedbydisruptedstretchesofriparianvegetation.3) Ilian watershed, Dumaran (S3). Ilian River isoneofthelargerriversystemsinnorthernPalawan.Its banks are bordered by mangrove vegetation

reachingfarupriver.Thevalleyfloorismainlyundercultivation(fruitplantations,uplandandirrigatedrice,andcoconutgrooves).Theslopesarestillforested,butencroachmentthroughshiftingcultivationandillegalloggingarerampant.

4)Lake Manguao, Taytay, Palawan (S4).TheonlyfreshwaterlakeinmainlandPalawan,LakeManguaoisaPhilippineKeyBiodiversityArea(KBA)due to itsuniqueaquaticand terrestrialvertebrate fauna. Ithasacatchmentareaofmorethan4,000haandawatersurfaceareaofatleast640ha.Itisconsideredtobeayounglakewhichformedaftervolcaniceruptions.Withinthecatchmentareaofthelakehighqualitylowlandforestcouldbe found,borderedbyseveralstreamsactingas the lake’s inflows.The lakehasnosurfaceoutflow;insteadthewaterdiffusesundergroundpastalavafieldandreappearstoformapeatmarshareanearBantolanBay.Alongthefringesofthelakearenumerousmarshandswamphabitats.

Thispaperaims tocontribute to theknowledgeof thebirdsofSanVicente-Taytay-Roxas forestparticularlyPagdananRange, LakeManguao, andMalampaya Sound in Northern Palawan and discuss conservationissues regarding theavifauna in thisarea.Wegive recommendations forprotectionmeasuresof theareassurveyed.Wediscusspossiblechangesinglobalconservationstatusofseveralspeciesbasedontheresultsofthesurveys.

Figure 1. Survey areas in Northern Palawan (encircled): 1)Binaluan,Bgy.Liminancong,Taytay,2)CarabaoBreedingCenter,Brgy. Kemdeng, San Vicente, 3) Ilian watershed, Brgy. Ilian,Dumaran,and4)LakeManguao,Taytay.Small map:locationofthedetailmapwithinPalawan.

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Material and MethodsFieldsurveyswereconductedfromApril2003toJanuary2004inKemdeng,SanVicente,Binaluan,Taytay,andIlianDumaran,whilefieldsurveysforLakeManguaowerecarriedoutfromAugust2005toMay2007.However,wehavealsoconsideredbirdspeciesthatwehaverecordedwithintheareaduringreconnaissancesurveysandvisitsoutsideofregularsurveysinPagdananRangeandsurroundingareas.BirdswererecordedmostlyusingMackinnonLists(Bibbyet al.,1992,andBibbyet al.1998).Surveyswereconductedearlymorningandlateafternoonwhenbirdactivitywasusuallyatitspeak.Thestudycoveredforestedhabitats,agriculturallands(includingricepaddiesandcoconutplantations),wetlandareas,andcoastlines.Mistnettingwasconductedtorecordcrypticbirds.Birdscaught inmistnetswerereleasedimmediatelyaftertakingmeasurementsandphotos.ConservationstatusofthebirdsfollowsIUCN(2008).

ResultsAtotalof141birdspecieswererecordedforthearea(Table1).Ofthese,nineweregloballythreatenedwhileeightwere‘nearthreatened’(IUCN2008).Ofthefourstudysites,LakeMangguao(S4)gotthehighestspeciesrecordof120species,followedbyKemdeng(S2)with102,Ilian(S3)with92speciesandBinaluan(S1)with79speciesrespectively(Tab.1).GreyimperialpigeonDucula pickeringii wasforthefirsttimerecordedfromPalawanmainlandintheLakeManguaocatchment.

Threatened SpeciesPolyplectron napoleonis – Palawan peacock-pheasantVULNERABLETheonlyprevious recordof this species fromPagdananRange is from local accounts fromDanlig inSanVicente (Lambert 1993) and inPortBarton (McGowanet al. 1989).Since then, it hasnot been recordedfromthisarea.WerecordedPalawanpeacock-pheasantsfromadegradedriparianforestnearKemdeng,SanVicenteatanelevationoflowerthan50masl.TailfeatherscouldbeobtainedfromtrappersinBinaluan,Taytay.InLakeManguao,aloneindividualwasheardcallingindegradedlowlandforestborderedbybamboogroves.ThespeciesseemstobeundermoderatehuntingpressureinthePagdananRange,asisthecasealloverPalawan(Mallariet al.2001);howevertheextentofhuntingofthisspeciesisnotknowntodate.ThepresenceofthisbirdeveninadegradedriparianforestinSanVicentesuggeststhatthespeciesmightstillbemoderatelycommon in thisportionofPagdananRangewhichconnects to the forestswithin theboundariesofPuertoPrincesaSubterraneanRiverNationalPark,whereastablepopulationofthespeciesexists.

Anas luzonica – Philippine duck VULNERABLEAroostingandfeedinggroupwithtotalnumberofatleast325individualswasencounteredindeeplyindentedbaysofLakeManguao,particularlyinthewesternuninhabitedcoastsofthelake.

Inthisstudy,thespecieswasonlyrecordedfromLakeManguaoandinricefieldareasinBgy.AbonganinTaytayand inDumarao,Roxas,particularlyalongBarbacanRiver. Itwaspreviously recorded inPalawan fromtheMantalingahanmountainrangeonly.ResultsofpresentstudyindicatethatthePhilippineduckismorecommoninPalawanthanpreviouslythought.Thebirdisundermoderatehuntingpressurewithinthelake,however,thereareexistinglocaleffortsregulatinghuntingactivitiesforseveralgamebirds,includingthePhilippineduck.ThespeciesseemstocongregateinthelakeduringthedryseasonanddispersetootherareasinPalawanupononsetoftherainyseason.ThehighestnumberofduckswasrecordedinthelakeinAprilduringthepeakofthedryseasonbutthelakehasayearroundpopulationofthespecies.ThenumberofbirdsrecordedinthelakeexceededtheminimumpopulationthresholdsetbyMallariet al.(2001)makingthelakeapotentialRamsarsite.

Anthracoceros marchei – Palawan hornbillVULNERABLEThisendemichornbillspecieswascommonlyencountered inallsurveysites,particularly inKemdeng,SanVicenteandinLakeManguao.Inthelatter,aflockofsevenbirdswasacommonsight.Weusuallyrecordedthespeciesinpairsandattimesingroupsofuptofourindividualsinothersites.InaprivatelyownedfarmlandwithadjoiningresidualoldgrowthforestnearthetownproperofTaytay,thespecieswasfairlycommon,andflocksof6-12birdswereencountered.Thefactthatthebirdiscommonandtameinthisareamaysuggestlowerhuntingpressurethanelsewhere.Localsinformedusthatthespecieswassometimeshuntedforthepettradeandasbushmeat.Basedonlocalperceptions,weassumethatthespeciesismoderatelythreatenedbyhunting.



Cacatua haematuropygia – Philippine cockatooCRITICALLYENDANGEREDThiscriticallyendangeredspecieswasencounteredinelevationslessthan50masl.inallsitesexceptLakeManguao,whereapparentlythespecieshadbecomelocallyextinctduetoexcessivehuntinginthe1980sto1990s.Mostoftheencountersinvolvedsinglebirdsorpairs.Neitherroostingsitesnorflockswereobservedinanyofthesites.

Once commonall over the province and even considered in the 1960s as pest in rice and corn fields, itspopulation isnowseverelydepleted. It isestimated thatnotmore than800birdsaresurviving inPalawan(Widmannet al.2005),which isconsideredas its laststronghold in thePhilippines. Informationfromlocalsindicatesongoingpersecution,mainlyforthepettrade. Prioniturus platenae – Blue-headed racquet-tail VULNERABLEThisparrotspecieswascommonlyrecordedfromforestandcultivatedareasinKemdeng,SanVicenteandmoderatelycommonfromallothersurveyedforestedsites.AflockoftenindividualswasseenroostingintallertreesinthebrushlandalongtheeasterncoastofLakeManguao.

InS1andS2,itisconsideredapestinbananaplantationswhereitfeedsmainlyonripeningfruits.Informationfromlocalssuggeststhatthisspeciesisnothuntedspecificallyforwildlifetradeduetopoorsurvivalincaptivity,anditislessappealingtopetkeeperssinceitisdifficulttomaintain.

Ducula pickeringii - Grey imperial pigeon VULNERABLEAflockcontaining25-30birdswasobservednearthecoastofBinaluan,TaytayandtwoindividualswereseeninthecatchmentareaofLakeMangauo.

ThisissofarthefirstrecordofthisspeciesinmainlandPalawan.Kennedyet al.(2001)statethatthisspecieswasonlyrecordedfromsmall,woodedislandsoffthecoastofPalawanandSulu.InnorthernPalawanitwaspreviouslyrecordedonlyintheislandsofCadlaoandLageninElNido,(Gonzaleset al.1997).

Egretta eulophotes – Chinese egret VULNERABLEOneindividualwasobservedinmangrovenearBinaluan,Taytay.Thespecieswaslikelyoverlooked,sincemanyindividualscouldnotbeseparatedfromreefegrets,becausetheyweretoofaraway,orunderunfavourablelightconditions.AccordingtoMallariet al.(2001),Palawancouldbeoneofthemajorwinteringareasofthespecies.ItspresenceinBinaluanwarrantsfuturestudiestoassesstheimportanceofthissiteasstagingareaofthisspecies.

Ficedula platenae – Palawan flycatcher VULNERABLEThespecieswasencounteredonlyonceinLakeManguaoinaresidualforestwithbamboogroves.ThisrecordissofarthefirstforthespeciesinnorthernPalawan.Wehaveneverencounteredthespeciesinothersurveyareas,butweassumethatitmightbeduetoitssecretivenaturethatithasevadeddetectioninthethreeothersites.

Ptilocichla falcata – Falcated ground-babblerVULNERABLEThisspecieswasonlyrarelyrecordedfromover-loggedlowlandforestsinBinaluanandKemdeng.However,inLakeManguao,itwasconsistentlyrecordedinremnantgalleryforestnearhumansettlements.HoweveritwasmorefrequentlyencounteredinprimaryforestsorresidualoldgrowthduringreconnaissancesurveysandsubsequentvisitstoPagdananRange.Thespeciesislikelyaprimaryforestspecialist.

Near Threatened SpeciesTanygnathus lucionensis - Blue-naped parrotThisspeciesstillwasmoderatelycommoninallfoursites.Thespecieswaswidelypoachedforthepetmarketand taken in largenumbers,nevertheless it seemed to compensate thispopulationdrainbetter thanotherpopularcagebirds,likethePhilippinecockatooortheHillmyna Gracula religiosa.

Otus fuliginosus - Palawan scops-owlThisspecieswasrecordedinallfoursites.Aswithearlierstudies,thespeciesseemedtohavenorangeoverlap

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withMantananiscops-owlOtus mantananensis,whichisrestrictedtoislandsoffthecoastofPalawan.

Wecommonlyobservedandnettedthespeciesinsecondaryandprimarylowlandforestareas.

Caloenas nicobarica - Nicobar pigeonInPalawanthisspeciesismostoftenencounteredinsmallersatelliteislands.WithinthissurveywerecordeditinfrequentlyintallevergreenforestintheLakeManguaoarea.

Oriolus xanthonotus - Dark-throated oriole ThisspecieswasgenerallyararebirdinthePagdananRange,recordedonlyonceinoverloggedforestinS2.However, inS4, itwasacommonsitebutrestrictedinareaswherehighquality lowlandforestexisted.Thespeciesseemedtoshowsitefidelitysincewerecordedit for fourconsecutivemonthsonthesamegeneralvicinityduringfieldsurveysinLakeManguao.

Tersiphone cyanescens - Blue paradise-flycatcher ThisbirdendemictoPalawanwascommonlyobservedinalmostallvegetationtypessurveyedinallsites.Thespeciesseemedtobewell-representedinareasnearhumanhabitation.InLakeManguao,thespecieshasbeenregularlynettedduringallsamplingeventsandwasoneofthemostfrequentlynettedbirds.InApril2003,anadultbirdwasseenwithajuvenileinIlian,Dumaran,nearariverinemangroveforest.However,anestwasrecordedinLakeManguaolastJune10,2006,suggestingvaryingseasonalityofbreeding.

Findingsof this survey indicate that the specieswas common throughout northernPalawan.We thereforesuggestdownlistingofthisspeciesto‘leastconcern’byIUCN.

Cyornis lemprieri - Palawan blue flycatcher OneindividualwascaughtinamistnetinBinaluan,Taytay.Thespeciesseemedtobecommoninallstudysites,particularlyafteritgaveoffaloudcalluponrelease,whichaidedinidentificationofthespeciesinlatersurveys.InLakeManguao,thespecieswasrecordedinriparianforestofManguaoStream.AllencountersinLakeManguaowereinsideresidualandprimaryforesthabitat.

Itwasusuallyrecordedinlowlandforestwithdenseunderstorey.Weneverencounteredthisbirdinopenbrushlands,suggestingpreferenceforforestedareas.Listingasnear-threatenedinIUCN(2008)seemsappropriate,sinceitslowlandforesthabitatinPalawanisunderthreatofdestruction.

Parus amabilis - Palawan tit Thisspecieswasrelativelycommoninallsurveyedsites,particularlyinforestedhabitats.InLakeManguao,thespecieswasonlyrecordedinheavilyforestedareasandneverinseverelydegradedareas.

Malacopteron palawanense - Melodious babbler WerecordedthisbabblerinallstudysitesexceptinLakeManguao.Wesuggestthatlistingofthisspeciesas‘nearthreatened’ isappropriatesince its lowlandforesthabitatarecontinuouslybeingdegradedinallstudysiteswherethespecieswasrecorded.

Discussion and Recommendation Habitatdegradationandhunting,thelatterpracticedbothforconsumptionandtrade,werethetwomostcommonhuman-causedthreatsinallsurveysites.Weobservedthathuntingforconsumptionthreatenedonlythelargerspecies,whichwere valued as food by the locals.Generally, smaller species like flycatchers, bulbuls andsunbirdswerenothuntedforconsumption.Thoughthesesmallbirdspecieswereregularlyhuntedbychildrenusingslingshots,weconsiderthishuntingactivityasaminorthreat.Thisseemedespeciallytrueforsmallergloballythreatenedspecies,whichareusuallyrarelysightedandinhabittheinteriorpartsoftheforest.SpeciesthatareusuallyhuntedasbushmeatincludemembersofthefamilyColumbidae,Phasianidae,andRallidae.

Pettrade-relatedtrappingofbirdsmainlyaffectsparrotspecies,particularlyBlue-napedparrotandPhilippinecockatoo.InS1forexample,cockatoosweresaidtobeveryabundantuntil1970s,thelocalsevenidentifiedoneislandasaroostingsite.However,duringthesurvey,onlytwoindividualswererecordedandthedemise



ofthepopulationisblamedtotrappingforthepettrade.InS2,itseemsthatdestructionofthelowlandhabitat,combinedwithongoingpersecutionfortradewasamajorthreat.ThecockatooisnowlocallyextinctincertainareasofnorthernPalawanlikeinthevicinityofLakeManguao,whereitwashistoricallyrecorded(Collaret al. 1999).

InSanVicente,peoplebelievedthatthePhilippinecockatooisapestinricefarms;hencepersecutionofthebirdswasstillongoingtopreventcropdamage.Blue-napedparrotswerealsopopularcagebirdsandwerethemostsought-afterspeciesinallareassurveyedsincecockatooswerealmosthuntedtoextinction.Birdscaughtforpettradewereusuallyjuvenileindividualsabouttofledge.However,sometimesevenyoungerhatchlingswerealreadytakenandhand-reareduntiltheycouldbesold.

OtherspeciestrappedfortradeincludedtheHillmyna,occasionallythePalawanhornbill,Palawanpeacock-pheasant, andGreen imperial pigeonsDucula aenaea. Inmost survey sites adult individuals, whichwerepredominantlyvaluedforthepettradewereaswellhuntedfortheirmeatforlocalconsumption.

Weobserved that inall sitessurveyed,deforestationand forestdegradationwerecommon threats,mainlybecauseofconversionofforestintoslash-andburnfields(locallycalled‘kaingin’)andotherformsofagriculturallands.KainginfarmingisprohibitedinPalawanbutwascontinuouslypracticedinalloursurveyareas.

AcommercialloggingbanisimplementedinthewholeprovinceofPalawanbutweobservedthatorganizedsmall-scale timberextractionwasstillongoing inallmunicipalitieswecovered. Information from localsalsosuggestedthattheseloggingactivitieswereongoingeveninremoteprimaryforestareasofPagdanan.

ThespeciescompositionofbirdsinPagdananRangewassimilartothatofPuertoPrincesaSubterraneanRiverNationalPark(PPSRNP).Exceptforonespecies(Nordmann’sGreenshank Tringa guttifer),allrestrictedrangeandthreatenedspeciesfoundinPPSRNPwererecordedinthePagdananRange.Allendemiclowlandspecieswererecordedduringthesurvey,plusapossiblyresidentpopulationofPhilippineduckemphasizethevalueforbirdconservationofthislargestlowlandforestareainPalawan. Duetoitsdiversebirdcommunitieswithahighproportionofgloballythreatenedandnearthreatenedspecies,werecommendthatPagdananRangebeaffordedacomparablelevelofprotectionasPPSRNP.ThelegalprotectionofthisareamayfurthersafeguardthecorridorfunctionbetweenPPSRNPandtheMalampayaSoundProtectedLandscapeandSeascape.Inaddition,thepresenceofeightgloballythreatenedbirdspeciesinLakeManguaoanditspopulationofPhilippineduckstronglysupportthedeclarationofthelakeasaseparateprotectedarea,andeventuallyitshouldbeincludedintheRamsarlistofwetlandsofinternationalsignificance.

WestronglyrecommendadditionalstudiesonthebirdsofPagdananRange,particularlyintheinnerportionsoftheoldgrowthforest.Studyinthisareamayrevealadditionalrecordsofthreatenedandrestrictedrangespeciesofbirds.Monitoringof illegal loggingactivitiesandtheopeningofnewkaingin (shiftingcultivation)farmsinallstudysites,needstobestrengthened.Presently,itisonlyinLakeManguaothatkainginishighlyregulated,however,intheotherstudysites;nosimilarrestrictiononkainginactivitiesisbeingimplemented. Seasonalmonitoringofmigratingbirds inLakeManguaoshouldbedoneannually to furtherdetermine theimportanceofthissiteasastagingareaformigratingwaterbirds.

AcknowledgmentsWewish to thank the BPConservation Programme through its sponsors, British Petroleum, ConservationInternational,FaunaandFloraInternational,BirdlifeInternationalandWildlifeConservationSocietywhograntedusasilverawardfortheKatalaQuestandmadeourexpeditionspossible.WearealsogratefultothefundingsupportprovidedbyNagaoNaturalEnvironmentFoundationforsupportingthesucceedingsurveysconductedinLakeManguao.


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WeareindebtedtoLoroParqueFundacion(LPF)andFundingPartners:ConservationdesEspècesetdesPopulationsAnimales(CEPA),ZoologischeGesellschaftfürArten-undPopulationsschutz(ZGAP;incl.Fondsfür Bedrohte Papageien and Strunden-Papageien-Stiftung), North of England Zoological Society (ChesterZoologicalGardens)andZoodeBeauvalfortheirconsistentandvaluablesupport.

LiteratureBibby,C.J.,N.D.Burgess&D.A.Hill.1992:BirdCensusTechniques.AcademicPressLimited,London,U.K..Bibby,C.J.,M.Jones&S.Marsden,1998:Expeditionfieldtechniques–Birdsurveys.RoyalGeographicSociety,London,U.K.BirdLifeInternational(2001) Threatened birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red DataBook.Cambridge,UK:BirdLifeInternational.

©2001BirdLifeInternational,Cambridge,UnitedKingdom.CollarN.J.MallariN.A.D.andTabaranzaJr.BR.1999ThreatenedBirdsofthePhilippinesTheHaribonFoundation/BirdlifeInternational

RedDataBook.Bookmark,MakatiCity,Philippines.DickinsonE.C.,KennedyR.S.andK.C.Parkes.1991.TheBirdsofthePhilippines.BritishOrnithologists’Union.HenryLingLtd,Dorset

Press,Dorchester,Dorset,UnitedKingdom.IUCN,2008:2008IUCNRedListofthreatenedspecies.www.iucnredlist.org.DownloadedonOctober30,2008.GonzalesJ.C.T.,Orig,A.P.S.,deGuiaM.G.,andDansA.T.L..1997.SurveyofterrestrialfaunaofLagenIsland,ElNido,Palawan,

Philippines.Unpublished.KennedyR.S.Gonzales,P.C.DickinsonE.C.MirandaH.C.Jr.andT.H.Fisher.2000.AguidetothebirdsofthePhilippines.Oxford

UniversityPress.UnitedKingdom.369p.LambertF.R.1993.SomekeysitesandsignificantrecordsofbirdsinthePhilippinesandSabah.(BirdConservationInternational.3:281-

297.MallariN.A.D.2001.KeyConservationSitesinthePhilippines:AHaribonFoundationandBirdlifeInternationaldirectoryofimportantbird

areas/byNeilAldrinD.Mallari,BlasR.TabaranzaJr.andMichaelJ.Crosby;withcontributionsfromMyrissaLepitien-Tabao,GenevieveA.Gee;incollaborationwiththeDepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesandBookmark,Inc.–MakatiCity:Bookmark,Philippines.

OngP.S.AfuangL.E.andR.G.Rosell-Ambal(eds)2002.PhilippineBiodiversityConservationPriorities:ASecondIterationoftheNationalBiodiversityStrategyandActionPlan.DepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResources-ProtectedAreaandWildlifeBureau,ConservationInternationalPhilippines,BiodiversityConservationProgram-UniversityofthePhilippinesCenterforIntegrativeandDevelopmentStudies,andFoundationforthePhilippineEnvironment,QuezonCity,Philippines.

Widmann,P. LachenmaierK.Widmann, I. L., SchoppeS.,Dumalag,R.M.,Matillano, J.D., Villafuerte,D. F.Diaz,S.H. andM.E.Cervancia.2005.WirbeltiergemeinschafteninRotsteiβkakaduHabitateninNord-Palawan.ZGAP-Mitteilungen20(2):3-7.

WildlifeConservationSocietyofthePhilippines,Inc.2001.Philippinereddatabook:redlistofthreatenedanimals/WildlifeConservationSocietyofthePhilippines,Inc.Bookmark,MakatiCity,Philippines..

Species IUCN Status Binaluan Ilian Kemdeng Lake ManguaoPHILIPPINESCRUBFOWLMegapodius cumingii 1

REDJUNGLEFOWLGallus gallus 1 1 1

PALAWANPEACOCKPHEASANTPolyplectron napoleonis VULNERABLE 1 1

WANDERINGWHISTLING-DUCKDendrocygna arcuata 1 1

PHILIPPINEDUCKAnas luzonica VULNERABLE 1

BARREDBUTTONQUAILTurnix suscitator 1 1 1 1

WHITE-BELLIEDWOODPECKERDryocopus javensis 1 1 1

COMMONFLAMEBACKDinopium javanense 1 1

GREATERFLAMEBACKChrysocolaptes lucidus 1 1 1 1

GREATSLATYWOODPECKERMulleripicus pulverulentus 1 1 1 1

PALAWANHORNBILLAnthracoceros marchei VULNERABLE 1 1 1 1

DOLLARBIRDEurystomus orientalis 1 1 1

COMMONKINGFISHERAlcedo atthis 1 1

BLUE-EAREDKINGFISHERAlcedo meninting 1 1 1

ORIENTALDWARFKINGFISHER Ceyx erithacus 1 1 1 1

STORK-BILLEDKINGFISHER Halcyon capensis 1 1 1 1

COLLAREDKINGFISHERTodiramphus chloris 1 1 1 1

BLUE-THROATEDBEE-EATERMerops viridis 1 1 1

Table 1. Birds recorded from four sites in northern Palawan, Philippines



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Species IUCN Status Binaluan Ilian Kemdeng Lake ManguaoORIENTALCUCKOOCuculus saturatus 1

BANDEDBAYCUCKOOCacomantis sonneratii 1 1 1

PLAINTIVECUCKOOCacomantis merulinus 1 1 1

BRUSHCUCKOOCacomantis variolosus 1 1 1

VIOLETCUCKOOChrysococcyx xanthorhynchus 1

DRONGOCUCKOO Surniculus lugubris 1 1 1 1

ASIANKOELEudynamys scolopacea 1 1 1

CHESTNUT-BREASTEDMALKOHAPhaenicophaeus curvirostris 1 1 1 1

GREATERCOUCALCentropus sinensis 1 1 1 1

LESSERCOUCALCentropus bengalensis 1 1 1 1

PHILIPPINECOCKATOO Cacatua haematuropygia CRITICALLYENDANGERED 1 1 1

BLUE-HEADEDRACQUET-TAIL Prioniturus platenae VULNERABLE 1 1 1 1

BLUE-NAPEDPARROTTanygnathus lucionensis NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

GLOSSYSWIFTLETCollocalia esculenta 1 1 1 1

PYGMYSWIFTLETCollocalia troglodytes 1 1 1

UNIFORMSWIFTLETCollocalia vanikorensis 1 1 1 1

EDIBLE-NESTSWIFTLET Collocalia fuciphaga 1

BROWN-BACKEDNEEDLETAILHirundapus giganteus 1 1

PALAWANSCOPSOWLOtus fuliginosus NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

SPOTTEDWOODOWL Strix seloputo 1 1 1

BROWNHAWKOWLNinox scutulata 1

JAVANFROGMOUTHBatrachostomus javensis 1 1 1

LARGE-TAILEDNIGHTJARCaprimulgus macrurus 1 1 1

SPOTTEDDOVEStreptopelia chinensis 1 1 1 1

ZEBRADOVEGeopelia striata 1 1 1 1

REDDISHCUCKOODOVE Macropygia phasianella 1 1

EMERALDDOVEChalcophaps indica 1 1 1 1

NICOBARPIGEONCaloenas nicobarica NEARTHREATENED 1

PINK-NECKEDGREENPIGEONTreron vernans 1 1 1

THICK-BILLEDGREENPIGEONTreron curvirostra 1 1 1

BLACK-CHINNEDFRUITDOVEPtilinopus leclancheri 1

GREENIMPERIALPIGEONDucula aenea 1 1 1 1

GREYIMPERIALPIGEONDucula pickeringii VULNERABLE 1 1

PIEDIMPERIALPIGEONDucula bicolor 1

WHITE-BREASTEDWATERHENAmaurornis phoenicurus 1 1 1

WHITE-BROWEDCRAKEPorzana cinerea 1 1

GREATERPAINTED-SNIPERostratula benghalensis 1

ASIANGOLDENPLOVERPluvialis fulva 1

WHIMBRELNumenius phaeopus 1

GREENSANDPIPERTringa ochropus 1

WOODSANDPIPERTringa glareola 1

COMMONSANDPIPERActitis hypoleucos 1 1 1

GREY-TAILEDTATTLERHeteroscelus breviceps 1

OSPREYPandion haliaetus 1 1

ORIENTALHONEY-BUZZARDPernis ptilorhyncus 1

WHITE-BELLIEDSEAEAGLEHaliaeetus leucogaster 1 1

CRESTEDSERPENTEAGLESpilornis cheela 1 1 1 1


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Species IUCN Status Binaluan Ilian Kemdeng Lake ManguaoCrestedGoshawkAccipiter trivirgatus 1 1 1

CHINESESPARROWHAWK Accipiter soloensis

JAPANESESPARROWHAWKAccipiter gularis 1

CHANGEABLEHAWKEAGLESpizaetus cirrhatus 1 1 1 1

ORIENTALHOBBY Falco severus 1 1

LITTLEGREBETachybaptus ruficollis 1

CHINESEEGRETEgretta eulophotes VULNERABLE 1 1

PACIFICREEFEGRETEgretta sacra 1

LITTLEEGRET Egretta garzetta 1 1 1 1

GREYHERONArdea cinerea 1 1

PURPLEHERONArdea purpurea 1

GREATEGRETCasmerodius albus 1

INTERMEDIATEEGRET Mesophoyx intermedia 1 1 1 1

CATTLEEGRETBubulcus ibis 1 1 1 1

LITTLEHERONButorides striatus 1

RUFOUSNIGHTHERONNycticorax caledonicus 1 1 1

CINNAMONBITTERNIxobrychus cinnamomeus 1 1

HOODEDPITTAPitta sordida 1 1 1 1

RED-BELLIEDPITTAPitta erythrogaster 1 1

ASIANFAIRYBLUEBIRD Irena puella 1 1 1 1

YELLOW-THROATEDLEAFBIRDChloropsis palawanensis 1 1 1 1

BROWNSHRIKELanius cristatus 1 1 1

MANGROVEWHISTLERPachycephala grisola 1 1

SLENDER-BILLEDCROW Corvus enca 1 1 1 1

LARGE-BILLEDCROWCorvus macrorhynchos 1

WHITE-BREASTEDWOODSWALLOWArtamus leucorynchus 1 1 1

DARK-THROATEDORIOLEOriolus xanthonotus NEARTHREATENED 1 1

BLACK-NAPEDORIOLEOriolus chinensis 1 1 1 1

BAR-BELLIEDCUCKOOSHRIKECoracina striata 1 1 1 1

PIEDTRILLERLalage nigra 1 1

SMALLMINIVETPericrocotus cinnamomeus 1 1 1

PIEDFANTAILRhipidura javanica 1 1 1 1

ASHYDRONGODicrurus leucophaeus 1 1 1 1

SPANGLEDDRONGODicrurus hottentottus 1 1 1 1

BLACK-NAPEDMONARCH Hypothymis azurea 1 1 1

BLUEPARADISE-FLYCATCHERTerpsiphone cyanescens NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

COMMONIORAAegithina tiphia 1 1 1 1

GREY-STREAKEDFLYCATCHERMuscicapa griseisticta 1

DARK-SIDEDFLYCATCHERMuscicapa sibirica 1 1

PALAWANFLYCATCHER Ficedula platenae VULNERABLE 1

PALAWANBLUEFLYCATCHER Cyornis lemprieri NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

WHITE-VENTEDSHAMACopsychus niger 1 1 1 1

ASIANGLOSSYSTARLINGAplonis panayensis 1 1 1 1

HILLMYNA Gracula religiosa 1 1 1 1

VELVET-FRONTEDNUTHATCHSitta frontalis 1 1

PALAWANTITParus amabilis NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

PACIFICSWALLOWHirundo tahitica 1 1 1 1


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Species IUCN Status Binaluan Ilian Kemdeng Lake ManguaoBARNSWALLOWHirundo rustica 1 1 1

BLACK-HEADEDBULBULPycnonotus atriceps 1 1 1 1

OLIVE-WINGEDBULBULPycnonotus plumosus 1 1 1 1

GREY-CHEEKEDBULBUL Alophoixus bres 1 1 1 1

SULPHUR-BELLIEDBULBUL Ixos palawanensis 1 1 1 1

ZITTINGCISTICOLACisticola juncidis 1 1

RUFOUS-TAILEDTAILORBIRDOrthotomus sericeus 1 1 1 1

ARCTICWARBLERPhylloscopus borealis 1

STRIATEDGRASSBIRDMegalurus palustris 1

ASHY-HEADEDBABBLERMalacocincla cinereiceps 1 1 1 1

MELODIOUSBABBLERMalacopteron palawanense NEARTHREATENED 1 1 1 1

FALCATEDWRENBABBLERPtilocichla falcata VULNERABLE 1 1 1

STRIPEDTITBABBLERMacronous gularis 1 1 1 1

PALAWANFLOWERPECKERPrionochilus plateni 1 1 1 1

STRIPEDFLOWERPECKERDicaeum aeruginosum 1

PYGMYFLOWERPECKERDicaeum pygmaeum 1 1 1 1

PURPLE-THROATEDSUNBIRDNectarinia sperata 1 1 1

COPPER-THROATEDSUNBIRDNectarinia calcostetha 1 1 1

OLIVE-BACKEDSUNBIRDNectarinia jugularis 1 1 1 1

LOVELYSUNBIRDAethopyga shelleyi 1 1 1 1

LITTLESPIDERHUNTER Arachnothera longirostra 1 1 1 1

EURASIANTREESPARROWPasser montanus 1 1 1

FORESTWAGTAIL Dendronanthus indicus 1

YELLOWWAGTAILMotacilla flava 1 1

GREYWAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea 1 1 1

PADDYFIELDPIPIT Anthus rufulus 1

SCALYBREASTEDMUNIA Lonchura punctulata 1 1

WHITEBELLIEDMUNIALonchura leucogastra 1 1 1 1

CHESTNUTMUNIALonchura malacca 1 1 1


Species Binaluan, Taytay Kemdeng, San Vicente

Ilian, Dumaran mainland

Sto. Tomas, Dumaran Is.

Lagan, Dumaran

Is.

Amphibians

Barbourula busuangensis C C

Bufo philippinicus C C O C C

Chaperina fusca C C

Leptobrachium cf. hasseltii C

Limnonectes acanthi C C

Megophrys ligayae C C

Occidozyga laevis C C

Polypedates macrotis C

Rana moellendorffi C C

Rana sanguinea C C O C

Staurois natator C C O

Reptiles

Snakes

Ahaetulla prasina O

Boiga dendrophila multicincta O O O O

Boiga schultzei C C

Chrysopelea paradisi O

Dendrelaphis spp. O O O

Gonyosoma oxycephalum O

Lycodon subcinctus sealei C

Opisthotropis typicus C

Python reticulatus

Rhabdophis chrysargos C O

Sibinophis bivittatus C

Trimeresurus schultzei C

Typhlops braminus C

Lizards

Bronchocela cristatella C C

Draco palawanensis O O O

Emoia atrocostata O O O

Eutropis indeprensa C

Amphibians and Reptiles recorded on Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island (after Widmann and Widmann, 2004 and Schoppe and Cervancia, in press)

25


Species Binaluan, Taytay Kemdeng, San Vicente

Ilian, Dumaran mainland

Sto. Tomas, Dumaran Is.

Lagan, Dumaran

Is.

Eutropis multifasciata C C O C O

Gehyra mutilata O O

Gekko athymus C

Gekko gecko O O O O O

Gekko palawanensis O

Hemidactylus frenatus O O O O

Varanus salvator marmoratus O O O C O

Unid. gekkonidsp.1 O

Unid. scincidsp.1 O

Crocodiles

Crocodylus porosus S

Turtles

Cyclemys dentata C C C C

Cuora amboinensis C C C

Siebenrockiella leytensis C C

Amphibians and Reptiles recorded on Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island (after Widmann and Widmann, 2004 and Schoppe and Cervancia, in press)

C: caught, O: observed, S: secondary information.

LiteratureSchoppe, S. and M. Cervancia, in press. Herpetological surveys along Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island, Northern Palawan, Philippines.

HAMADRYAD January 2009 (accepted 16 October 2008).

Widmann, I. and P. Widmann, 2004. Preliminary progress report of the Katala Quest, Pagdanan Range, Palawan, Philippines. Report submitted to BP Conservation Programme.

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Key Conservation Amphibian Species AlongPagdanan Range, Northern Palawan, Philippines Sabine SchoppeKatalaFoundationIncorporated,SantiagoCompound,NationalHighway,SanJose,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,PhilippinesEmailofcorrespondingauthor:[email protected]

AbstractThe present study provides evidence that the PagdananMountainRangewhich is known to holdgloballythreatenedplant,reptile,birdandmammalspeciesisalsoofimportanceforkeyamphibianspecies. For Barbourula busuangensis and Megophrys ligayae the area constitutes an importantstronghold.Habitatconservationmeasuresarerecommended.FindingsalsoleadtorecommendationsforIUCNstatusassessmentsofthespecies.

Keywords:amphibian,keyconservationspecies,Palawan,Philippines

IntroductionThePagdananMountainRangeextendsthroughtwoofPalawan’sKeyBiodiversityAreas:theElNido-TaytayManagedResourceProtectedArea(ENTMRPA)andtheSanVicente-Taytay-RoxasForest,thelattercomprisingtheterrestrialareaoftheMalampayaSoundProtectedLandscapeandSeascape(AndaandTabangay-Baldera2004).CriteriafortheclassificationasKeyBiodiversityAreaswerethepresenceofgloballythreatenedand/orrestricted-rangespecies.InthecaseoftheSanVicente-Taytay-RoxasForestthesewerefourthreatenedbirdspeciesincl.the“CriticallyEndangered”PhilippineCockatoo,andonethreatenedmammalandplantspecies,respectively.TheENTMRPAclassifiedbecauseofthepresenceoftwothreatenedandsixrestricted-rangebirdspecies,onethreatenedreptilespecies,andsixthreatenedplantspecies.Until2004,bothareaswerenevercoveredbyextensiveamphibiansurveys,henceitwasnotknownwhethertheseimportantareasalsoprovidehabitattokeyamphibianspecies.

ThepresentispartofalargerstudyintendedtoprovidefirstdataontheherpetofaunaofthePagdananMountainRange(SchoppeandCervancia,inprint),andtodeterminetheimportanceoftheareafortheconservationofpotentialkeyspecies.Hereonlykeyamphibianspeciesaretackled.

Study AreaPagdananRangeislocatedat10º46’Nand119º20’EinthenorthernpartofPalawanbetweenthemunicipalitiesofRoxas,SanVicenteandTaytay(Figure1).Maximumaltitudeis701m.Deforestationandillegalloggingaremainthreatsinthearea;othersareslash-and-burnfarmingpractices,treasurehunting,gold-panning,quarrying,land conversion, erosion, pesticide run-off and high net in-migration (Anda and Tabangay-Baldera, 2004).Surveyswereconducted in twositesalong thePagdananRange:SitioBinaluan,BarangayLiminangcong,TaytayandBarangayKemdeng,SanVicente(Figure1).

Key Conservation Amphibian Species Along Pagdanan Range... 27


MethodologyVisual encounter surveys were conducted dailybetween6:00and10:00amand5:30and10:00pm.Frogswerecollectedthroughhandcaptures,scopenetting,andpitfalltrapping.Allfrogswereidentifiedbutspecialattentionwasgiventokeybiodiversityspecies.Keybiodiversityamphibiansaredefinedasthoseclassified“threatened”underIUCN(AndaandTabangay-Baldera,2004). IUCNstatusasof2008was used (IUCN, 2008).Measurements ofallherpetofaunalelementstakenduringthesurveyareprovidedinSchoppeandCervancia(2008).

Surveys were part of the Katala Quest Projectthatassessedthethreatenedvertebratefaunaofhabitats of the “Critically Endangered” PhilippineCockatoo in Northern Palawan (Widmannet al., 2004). Surveys in Binaluan were carried out inNovember 2003, and those in Kemdeng weredoneinJanuary2004.

Results and DiscussionA total of eleven frog species were recorded(Table1),threeofwhicharethreatenedandhenceclassifiedaskeybiodiversityspecies.Thesearethe“Endangered” Palawan Horned FrogMegophrys ligayae (Taylor,1920),the“Vulnerable”PhilippineFlatHeadedFrogBarbourula busuangensis TaylorandNoble,1924,andthe“Vulnerable”BusuangaWart Frog Limnonectes acanthi (Taylor, 1923).The remaining eight species are either “NearThreatened”orof“LeastConcern”(IUCN,2008).Inaddition to frogs,ninesnakespecies,12 lizardspeciesand three freshwater turtlespecieswerecaught. Details about these are currently beingpublished(SchoppeandCervancia,inprint).

Figure 1:MapofNorthernPalawan(Roxas,Taytay,DumaranandSanVicente)whereinthestudysitesareencircled.

Species IUCN Status (2008) Binaluan, Taytay Kemdeng, San VicenteMegophrys ligayae EN

Barbourula busuangensis VU

Limnonectes acanthi VU

Rana moellendorffi NT

Bufo philippinicus LC

Chaperina fusca LC

Leptobrachiumcf. hasseltii LC

Occidozyga laevis LC

Polypedates macrotis LC

Rana sanguinea LC

Staurois natator LC

Table 1: AmphibianspeciesencounteredintwositesalongPagdananRange.

28


Megophrys ligayae (Taylor, 1920) - Palawan Horned Frog Megophrys ligayae isaPalawanendemicthathasbeenrecordedfromBalabacandPalawanIslandsonly(IUCN,2008).Thespeciesislisted‘Endangered’becauseofitslimiteddistributionrange,fragmenteddistribution,andcontinuingdeclineintheextentandqualityofitshabitatinPalawan(IUCN,2008).

FromPalawanlocationrecordsexistforBarangayIrawan,PuertoPrincesaCity(Peneyra,2004);Brgy.Ransang,Rizal(CI-Phi,inprep.);Culasian,Rizal(SchoppeandAcosta,2008);Brgy.Dumarao,RoxasandBrgy.SantoTomas,DumaranIsland(SchoppeandCervancia,inprint).ThecurrentsurveyfoundthespeciesinBinaluanbutnotinKemdeng.InBinaluan,thespecieswascommontoabundant.ThepresentconstitutesthefirstrecordforthespeciesforthePagdananMountainRangeinNorthernPalawan.

ThemainthreatstothespeciesalongitsrangeinBalabacandPalawanIslandsarehabitatlossanddegradationcausedbyslashandburnfarmingpracticesandthepollutionofstreamsduetoagriculturaleffluentsandmine-tailings(IUCN,2008).ThisisalsotrueforthesiteinBinaluanwherevegetationconsistsofover-loggedlowlandforest and patches of agricultural lands. InKemdeng,where the specieswas absent, over-logged lowlandforest also predominated, but in addition extensivemeadows for water buffalos, with scattered rice fields,smallwetlandsandshrubscharacterizedthearea.ItisexpectedthatthehigherdegreeofhabitatalterationisresponsiblefortheabsenceofM. ligayaeinKemdeng.

Philippine Flat Headed Frog - Barbourula busuangensis Taylor and Noble 1924Barbourula busuangensis is another endemic that is restricted to the Palawan group of islands, such asBusuanga,CulionandPalawan(IngerandVoris,2001;IUNC,2008).Thespeciesisconsidered‘Vulnerable’becauseitsextentofoccurrenceis lessthan20,000km2,anditsdistributionisseverelyfragmented(IUCN,2008).Furthermore,assessorsofthespeciesjustifieditsstatusduetothecontinuingdeclineintheextentandqualityofitsforesthabitatinthePalawangroupofislands.

ThespecieswasdescribedfromasinglepreservedspecimensfromBusuanga in theCalamianesgroupofislands byTaylor andNoble (1924). Taylor andNoble (1924) remarked that itmight be nearing extinctionbecausetheyfoundittobeextremelyrare.AfterthisthespecieshasrarelybeendocumentedbutdiscoveriesfromPalawanIslandextendeditsrangeconsiderabletothesouth(Myers,1943;Inger,1954;BrownandAlcala,1970;AlcalaandBrown,1987).OnPalawanislandsthespecieswasconfirmedforNarra(Infanteet al.,2002),andIrawan,PuertoPrincesaCity(Peneyra,2004).ThecurrentfindingsconstitutethefirstrecordforthespeciesfromBinaluan,MalampayaSound,andKemdeng,SanVicente(seealsoSchoppeandCervancia,inprint).

Ineachofthetwostudysitesthespecieswasonlyfoundinonesmallandclearstreaminareaswellwithintheforest.Adultswerefoundwithinthestreambedhidingunderbouldersandincrevicesaswellasincleftsunderawaterfall(Figure2and3).Smalljuvenilesontheotherhandwereexclusivelyfoundinwaterfallareas.Mostsmalljuvenileswerefoundonsteepwallsjustbesidethemainwaterfall.Theyusedtoclingtothemossysubstratewhichgavethemperfectcamouflage.Somewerealsofoundinthepoolunderthewaterfall(Figure4).

ThePhilippineFlat-headedFrogisahighlyaquaticspeciesknowntoinhabitonlyundisturbed,clear,unpollutedmountainstreamsoflowerelevationsofuptoabout300ma.s.l.(IUCN,2008).Itsstricthabitatrequirementsandsensitivity todisturbancewasprovenforasmallstreaminPuertoPrincesaCity,where itdecreased inabundancefrom30individuals(Peneyra,2004)to19individuals(Pastrana,2006)inonlytwoyears.Habitatalterationandanincreasingnumberoftouristsvisitingthewaterfallareawereheldresponsibleforthedecreaseinabundance(Pastrana,2006).

ThepopulationsinPagdananRangeareoneoftheremainingstrongholdsofthespeciesinPalawan.Habitatconservationisconsideredapriorityinthemanagementofthespecies.Basedonthefindings,IUCNstatusassessmentisrecommendedsincethespeciesmightclassifyendangered.

Busuanga Wart Frog - Limnonectes acanthi (Taylor, 1923)UntilrecentlythespecieswasstillconsideredendemictoPalawan,butnowpopulationsonMindoroarealsoattributedtothespecies(IUCN,2008).TheknownrangeofthisspeciesisnowBalabac,Busuanga,Culion,Palawan,andMindoro(IUCN,2008).

Key Conservation Amphibian Species Along Pagdanan Range... 29


Figure 2 & 3:HabitatofB. busuangensisinBinaluan,MalampayaSound,Taytay.

Figure 4: Juvenile B. busuangensis in a pool area under thewaterfallinBinaluan.

On Palawan the species seems to be widelydistributed with records in northern, southern andcentralPalawan(e.g.Alcala,1986;AlcalaandBrown,1998; Peneyra, 2004; Schoppe and Acosta, 2008;Schoppe and Cervancia, in print; Ci-Phi, in prep.).AmongthefrogspeciesencounteredinthetwositesinPagdananRange, L. acanthiwasthemostabundantspecies.As of now the species is still classified as‘Vulnerable’whichisjustifiedbyitsdescribedextentof occurrence which is less than 20,000 km2, its severely fragmenteddistribution,and thecontinuingdeclineintheextentandqualityofitsforesthabitatonthePhilippines.Presentfindingsandthosefromotherareas innorthern(SchoppeandCervancia, inprint)andsouthernPalawan(SchoppeandAcosta,2008)lead to recommending the species for IUCN statusassessmentwhichmightresulttodown-grading.

Conclusions and RecommendationsThePagdananMountainRange constitutes and important strong hold for at least two globally threatenedfrogspecies,the“Vulnerable”B. busuangensis and the endangered M. ligayae.Conservationmeasuressuchas thedeclarationofprotectedareasshouldbeconsidered. Insupporta followupstudyat the twosites isrecommended.Thelatterisneededtoconfirmthepresenceofthespeciessincemorethanfouryearshavepassedsincethelastsurvey.AfollowupstudycouldrevealtrendsintheabundanceofthreatenedspeciesandtherewithcontributetoaneventualIUCNstatusassessment.

AcknowledgmentI wish to thank the BP Conservation Programme through its sponsors, British Petroleum, ConservationInternational, Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife International and Wildlife Conservation Society whograntedKatalaFoundationasilverawardforKatalaQuest,ofwhichthesurveysinPagdananRangearepartof. Iacknowledge thesupportof thePCSDSand theProtectedAreasandWildlifeBureau (DENR-PAWB),andthelocalgovernmentsofTaytay,andSanVicente.IamindebtedtoLoroParqueFundacionandFunding

30


Partners:ConservationdesEspècesetdesPopulationsAnimales,ZoologischeGesellschaft fürArten-undPopulationsschutz,NorthofEnglandZoologicalSociety(ChesterZoologicalGardens)fortheirconsistentandvaluablesupport.ThanksalsotomycolleaguesatKFIandespecially tomembersof theamphibiansurveyteam,MiguelitoCervancia,JonaMiguel,andMaritesPeneyra.

LiteratureAlcala,A.C.,1986.GuidetoPhilippineFloraandFauna,Vol.X,AmphibiansandReptiles.NaturalResourcesManagementCenter,Ministry

ofNaturalResourcesandUniversityofthePhilippines,195pp.Alcala,A.C.andW.C.Brown,1987.Noteson themicrohabitatsof thePhilippinediscoglossid frog Barbourula busuangensis. Silliman

Journal34:12-17.Alcala,A.C.andW.C.Brown,1998.PhilippineAmphibians.AnIllustratedFieldGuide.Bookmark,MakatiCity,Philippines,115pp.Anda,R.D.andJ.G.Tabangay-Baldera(eds.),2004.Surublien:StrategiestoConservePalawan’sBiodiversity.ProvincialGovernmentof

Palawan,PalawanCouncilforSustainableDevelopmentStaff,DepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResources–MIMAROPARegionIV,PalawanNGONetworkInc.,andConservationInternationalPhilippines,PuertoPrincesaCity,Philippines,124pp.

Brown,W.C.andA.C.Alcala,1970.ThezoogeographyoftheherpetofaunaofthePhilippineislands,afringingarchipelago.Proc.Calif.Acad.Sci.,38:105-130.

Brown,R.M.,A.C.DiesmosandA.C.Alcala,2001(2002).ThestateofPhilippineherpetologyandthechallengesfor thenextdecade.SillimanJournal,42(1):18-87.

CI-Philippines,inprep.BiodiversitysurveyinthehighslopesofMt.Mantalingahan,2007.Infante,C.R.,R.M.Brown,A.C.Diesmos,G.GeeandJ.Dimalibot,2002.ThesearchforthelosttreasureofPalawan:thePhilippineflat-

headedfrog.HaringIbon8:12-15.Inger,R.F.,1954.SystematicsandzoogeographyofPhilippineAmphibia.Fieldiana:Zool.,33:184-531.Inger,R.F.andH.K.Voris,2001.ThebiogeographicalrelationsoffrogsandsnakesofSundaland.JournalofBiogeography28:863-891.IUCN,2008.2008IUCNRedListofThreatenedSpecies.www.iucnredlist.org>.Downloadedon7October2008.Myers,G.S.,1943.RediscoveryofthePhilippinediscoglossidfrog,Barbourulabusuangensis.Copeia,143-150.Pastrana,R.P.,2006.ConservationstatusofthePhilippineFlat-headedFrogBarbourulabusuangensisinBontonStream,Irawan,Puerto

PrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines.Oralpresentation,WildlifeConservationSocietyofthePhilippines,15thAnnualPhilippineBiodiversitySymposium,PalawanConventionCenter,LegendHotel,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines,April4-8,2006.

Peneyra,M.A.,2004.Diversityandecologyof frogs (Amphibia:Anura)alongBontonStream, Irawan,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines.Undergraduatethesis,BSAquaticBiology,StatePolytechnicCollegeofPalawan,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines,61pp.

Schoppe,S.andD.Acosta,2008.FirstnotesontheherpetofaunaoftheCulasianManagedResourceProtectedArea,Culasian,Rizal,Palawan,Philippines.InWidmann,I.,P.Widmann,S.Schoppe,M.Espeso,andD.vandenBeukel(eds.),2008.ConservationStudiesonPalawanBiodiversity:acompilationofresearchesconductedincooperationwithorinitiatedbyKatalaFoundationInc.KatalaFoundation,Inc.PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,Philippines.

Schoppe, S. and M. Cervancia, in press. Herpetological surveys along Pagdanan Range and Dumaran Island, Northern Palawan,Philippines.HAMADRYADJanuary2009(accepted16October2008).

Taylor,E.H.andG.K.Noble,1924.AnewgenusofdiscoglossidfrogsfromthePhilippineislands.Amer.Mus.Novitates121:1-4.Widmann,P.,K.Lachenmaier, I.L.Widmann,S.Schoppe,R.M.Dumalag,J.D.Matillano,D.F.Villafuerte,S.H.DiazandM.Cervancia,

2004.WirbeltiergemeinschafteninRotsteisskakadu-HabitateninNord-Palawan.ZGAPMitteilungen20(2):3-7.

31Key Conservation Amphibian Species Along Pagdanan Range...


From Species Lists to Cockatoo Reserves – The Example of the Community-based Protected Areas on Dumaran Island, Palawan, PhilippinesIndira Dayang Lacerna-Widmann, Deborah D. Villafuerte, Peter Widmann and Siegfred H. DiazKatalaFoundationIncorporated,SantiagoCompound,NationalHighway,SanJose,PuertoPrincesaCity,Palawan,PhilippinesEmailofcorrespondingauthor:[email protected]

AbstractAssessmentofvertebratesisafrequentlyusedtoolforidentificationofpriorityconservationareasinthePhilippinesandelsewhere.Considerableeffortisusuallyinvestedforsuchinventories.However,frequently the process stops just there and does not further contribute to improved conservationaction.WedescribehowinformationonpresenceofthreatenedspecieswasusedforthecreationofprotectedareasonDumaranIsland,Palawan,Philippines,underinvolvementof localstakeholders.InthecourseoftheBPconservationexpedition“KatalaQuest”in2003,weconductedzoologicalandethnozoologicalsurveysinlowlandforestsinnorthernPalawan.OnDumaranIslandwerecordedanumberofglobally threatenedspecies in twosmall forestpatches,amongthesewerethe ‘criticallyendangered’PhilippinecockatooCacatua haematuropygia andthefirstrecentrecordofthePhilippineforestturtleSiebenrockiella leytensis inthewild.Surveyresultswerepublicizedthroughconservationeducationemployingsocialmarketingstrategies.Localslivingadjacenttoprotectedareasweretrainedand employed as wildlife wardens. After declaration of two cockatoo reserves through municipalordinances, KATALAFoundation assisted in the creation of a Local ProtectedAreasManagementBoardforthelong-termmanagementofthetwosites.

Keywords:conservationeducation,Philippinecockatoo,protectedarea,PRIDEcampaign

IntroductionThe“KatalaQuestNorthernPalawan”expeditionwasdesignedtoprovideabetterunderstandingoftherichfaunaofthearea.ItwasconductedatthethreemunicipalitiesofDumaran,TaytayandSanVicenteencompassingthevastareaofthePagdananRangefromApril2003–June2005.Thesurveysfocussedontwogeneralareasofpotentiallyhighconservationpriority,whichatthesametimesofarhadbeenveryinadequatelysampledinrespecttovertebrates.ThePagdananRangeinnorthernPalawancomprisesoneofthelargerforestblocksof thearchipelago. It is listedas ImportantBirdArea (Mallariet al.,2001).Dumaran Island isa landbridgeislandwhichiswidelydenudedofitsoriginalforestcover.Thereforeitsimportanceforbiodiversityconservationwasoverlookeduntilrecentlywhenviablepopulationsof‘criticallyendangered’Philippinecockatoos Cacatua haematuropygia andPhilippine forest turtle Siebenrockiella leytensiswerediscovered in the last remainingforestpatches(Widmann,2001;Diesmoset al.,2004).Bothareaswereidentifiedasprioritysitesforbiodiversityconservation(Anda&Tabangay-Baldera,2004).

In thePhilippines andanywhereelse in theworld, scientific surveys andassessments focusondeliveringspeciesliststoassistindevelopingconservationactions.Inmanycases,afterbiodiversityassessmentsareconducted, resultsarepublished,often in technical journals.Oftentimes thishard-won informationdoesnotcontributetobetterinformedlocalcitizenryandthereforenotachievingtangibleconservationoutcomes.

32


ThispaperdescribeshowweusedthescientificresultsoftheKatalaQuestexpeditioninordertosafeguardpriorityareasonDumaranIslandfortheprotectionandconservationofthe‘criticallyendangered’PhilippinecockatooCacatua haematuropygiaandotherthreatenedwildlifesharingitshabitat.

Vertebrate AssessmentsIn-depth assessments of terrestrial vertebrate communities have been conducted in five sites wherereconnaissancesurveysyieldedcockatoo records.Threesitesweresituatedon themainland, twositesonDumaranIsland.

Werecorded35mammal(Widmannet al.,2008),157bird(Matillanoet al.,2008),31reptileand12amphibianspeciesinthefivesites(SchoppeandCervancia,inpress).Sevenmammals,13birdspeciesandfiveherpsspeciesrespectivelyarelistedasgloballythreatenedrespectively(IUCN,2008).

Allcockatoo recordsweremade inaltitudesbelow50ma.s.l.Highestdensityofcockatooswere foundonDumaranIsland,wherealsotheonlyknownroostingsiteinnorthernPalawanissituated.WewereneitherabletoobservecockatoosinthewidelyintacthigheraltitudeforestofPagdananRange,norintwohistoricalsitesforthespecies(Collaret al.,1999).Apartfromthe‘criticallyendangered’Philippinecockatoo,otherthreatenedspeciesofglobalconservationconcernoccuronthetwoforestpatchesonDumaranIsland(Table1).

Species Conservation statusArcticits binturong VUAonyx cinerea VUSus ahoenobarbus VUDugong dugon VUAnas luzonica VUEgretta eulophotes VUHystrix pumila VUAnthracoceros marchei VUCacatua haematuropygia CRPrioniturus platenae VUMegophrys ligayae EN

Cuora amboinensis VUSiebenrockiella leytensis CRChelonia mydas ENEretmochyles imbricata CR

ThesefindingssuggestedthatPagdananRangeandDumaranIslandareofsimilarconservationpriorityasthealreadyprotectedWorldHeritageSitePuertoPrincesaSubterraneanRiverNationalPark’andtheMalampayaProtectedLand-andSeascape.

Ethnozoological surveysEthnozoologicalinterviews(Martin,1995)wererandomlyconductedinallsurveysites.Mostoftheinterviewswereconductedincloseproximitytotheseareas.PriorityspeciesaskedwereaccordingthoselistedasgloballythreatenedbyIUCN(2008)andthoseendemictotheislandprovinceandinparticularthePhilippinecockatoo.Duringtheinterviews,laminatedpicturesorpriorityspecieswereshownandlocalnameswerealsoverifiedandcompared.AmorecomprehensivesurveyquestionnairewasconductedinDumarannotonlyonrespondent’ssightingsofcockatoosandothertargetspeciesbutalsoofrespondent’susesofforestresourcesandperceivedthreatstoforestecosystem.

Table 1. ThreatenedspeciesofglobalconcernrecordedfromDumaranIsland(fromWidmannet al.,2008;SchoppeandCervancia,inpress;Matillanoet al., 2008)

From Species Lists to Cockatoo Reserves... 33


SightingofPhilippine cockatooswere very infrequent and rare inSanVicenteandTaytaybut commononDumaranIsland.However, inbothmunicipalitiessomePalawanendemicswerefrequentlysightedincludingBlue-headedracquet-tailPrioniturus platenae,andPalawanhornbill Anthracoceros marchei.

Particular toDumaran Island, respondentsweregreatlydependenton forest resources.Hunting,poaching,loggingandcollectionofnon-timberforestproductswerecommonactivities.ThePhilippinecockatooalongwiththeHillmynaGraculareligiosaandBlue-napedparrotTanygnathus lucionensiswerethetopthreebirdspeciesthatwerepoachedforthepettrade.Philippinecockatooswerealsopersecutedbecausetheywereconsideredpestsonricefields.Severalmethodsofpoachingwereknown.Someendemicmammalspeciese.g.Palawanbearded pig Sus ahoenobarbus andPalawan pangolinManis culionensis were poached in surveyed sites(Villafuerte,2005;Widmann,2005).

Conservation educationThePhilippinecockatooandotherenigmaticvertebratespecieswhichcanbeusedasflagshipspeciesareseenasappropriatevehicles forabroaderenvironmentalawarenessscheme,particularlyamongschoolchildren,farmersandforestusers.

PriortothefullimplementationofthePRIDEcampaignin2004inDumaran,educationeffortse.g.schoolandcommunityvisits inall surveysites (SanVicente,TaytayandDumaran) focusedonconservationofwildlifeand forestecosystems.Weused laminatedprintoutsofphotos takenduring theexpeditionand interactiveenvironmentalgamesasstrategiesofinstruction.About480studentsandca.200communitymembersintheproximityofthesurveyareaswerereached.

Stakeholders MeetingTwoseparateconsultativemeetingsandplanningworkshopswereheldinDumaran;oneinthemainlandandoneonDumaranIslandpriortothefullblownstakeholders’meeting.Resultsoftheexpeditionandquestionnaireswerepresentedduringthesemeetings.Thestakeholders’meetingwasinstrumentalindevelopingtheconceptmodelinordertoprotecttheremainingforestsandwildlifeofDumaranMunicipality.Theinitialconceptmodelwasevaluatedandrevisedbythesamekeystakeholdersduringthe2ndstakeholdersmeetinginDumaranafterapre-projectsurveywascompletedandanalyzed.

Therevisedconceptmodel(Annex1)reflectedthevariousthreatstoDumaran’sforestsandwildlifespecies.Directthreatswerestreamlinedtofive:sandandgravelquarrying,logging,hunting/trapping,kainginfarmingpracticeandforestfire(Widmann,2005).

Expeditionresultsandfocusgroupdiscussionsalsoshowedthatthelackofprotectedarearesultsinincreasingandunregulatedhuntingandtrapping.Thehuntingthreatisaggravatedbylackof(orinaccurateknowledgeon)wildlifeandforestlawsandpoorlawenforcement.StakeholdersrankedthesedirectthreatsusingMargoluis&Salafsky(1998)threeoutofsevencriteria:area,intensityandurgency.Thesecriteriahaveequalweightswhilethehighestscorethatanythreatcangetforeachcriterionisequaltothetotalnumberofthreatsidentified.

Kainginfarmingpracticerankedfirstamongallthreatsaccordingtoarea,intensityandurgencyofthethreat.Thiswasfollowedbylogging.Forestfireandhunting/trappingsharethe3rdrankwhilesandandgravelquarryingplayedlast(Table2).Thisrankingwasverysimilaraccordingtocommunityperceivedimportanceexceptthatloggingwasseenbythecommunityasthetopthreat followedbykaingin. Ifcriteriaweretakenindividually,basedonareaandintensitykainginpracticerankedfirstandhadthestrongestimpactonthetargetcondition.Meanwhile,on thebasisofurgency,huntingand trapping topped the ranking.Keystakeholderscontendedthatimmediateactionmustbetakentodealandcombatthisthreat;otherwise,wildlifespecieswillbegravelyaffectedandendangered.

PRIDE CampaignThePRIDEcampaign,introducedbyRAREConservation,usesaflagshipspeciesandsocialmarketingvehiclessuchasmascots, festivals,billboards,posters, leaflets,puppetshows, to rally localsupport forbiodiversityconservation.TheflagshipspecieschosenbythestakeholdersforthiscampaignwasthePhilippinecockatoo,

34


THREATSCRITERIA

Area Intensity Urgency Totalscore RankSandandGravelQuarrying

1 1 1 3 D

ForestFire 4 3 2 9 CLogging 3 4 4 11 BKainginPractice 5 5 3 13 AHunting/Trapping 2 2 5 9 C

the priority species surveyed for the KatalaQuest.Apart from its charismatic nature, the restriction of thespeciestoextremelowlandhabitatsmakesitmorevulnerabletoallkindsofhumanactivitieswithwhomitoftensharesthesamegeneralareas(Widmann,2005).SincethespeciesisendemictothePhilippinesanditslaststrongholdisinPalawan,wethoughttoinstillprideamongDumareñosforhostingoneofthefewremainingwildpopulationsintheworld.

Humanactivities inmostcases ifnotall,greatlyaffect theenvironment.Asconflictsovernatural resourcesutilizationincrease,thereisalsoagrowingneedforeducationeffortstobecreativeandentertaininginordertoattractthepublic’sattentionandhopefullyinfluenceattitudesandchangesbehaviourstowardsbiodiversityconservation(Jacobsonet al.,2006).

While it isdifficult to “sell” conservationespecially indevelopingcountries like thePhilippineswheremanyperceiveconservationasanimpedimenttodevelopment(Butler,1995),thePRIDEcampaigndrewattentionandcreatedthemomentumforpeopletotakeactions.AsMcKenzie-Mohr&Smith(1999)writes“Allpersuasionbeginswithcapturingattention.Withoutattention,persuasionisimpossible”.

Focalmessages“drawnout”fromseriesofconsultationsandmeetingswere:• Cockatoo conservation directly benefits the human population through increased ecosystem

services.• Thecockatoopopulationisanindicatorforhumanlifequality.Therefore,itisamusttosharethe

placeforbothspeciestolive!• Cockatooconservationbenefitsthecompletelowlandforestecosystems,includingallassociated

biodiversity.

Therefore,thekeyconservationmessageagreedbyallstakeholderstocarryoutthepridecampaign’sidealsandobjectiveswas“SHAREAPLACETOLIVE”.

Activitiesincludedschoolvisits;conductoffestivals,cockatoomascotappearances,puppetshowsandmanymorethatmakeslearningfunandentertaining.Intotal2640studentswerereachedintheschoolvisitsandpostprojectsurveysuggested37%points(upfrom39.5%to76.5%)saytheybelievedthatPhilippinecockatooandotherwildlifecould live inharmonywithpeople.Thefestivalwasaneffectivemediumto furtherdiffusekeymessagesofthecampaign.Theconservationmessageswereomni-presentandconsistentinalmostallfestivalactivities.Keymessageswereconnectedtoverypopularaffairs,likesportactivities,beautypageants,municipal clean-ups, tree planting, drawing contest, youth field exposures, puppet shows, the use of thePhilippinecockatoomascot,environmentalskitsandshortplays,andevenparlour/fungames.Thesewererepeatedeverywhereandthegeneralpublicweresaturatedwithvisualandauditoryaids(McKenzie-Mohr&Smith,1999)toremindthemagainandagainofthekeymessages.

Wildlife Wardens RecruitmentSix key forest users residing near the two forest patches surveyedonDumaran Islandwere deputized aswildlifeenforcementwardens.Theyweretrainedonbasicwildlifeidentificationskills,forestinventoryskills,daterecordinganduseofequipmentlikeglobalpositioningsystem(GPS),hypsometer,diameteratbreastheight(DBH)meter,etc.Aseparateparalegaltrainingwasconductedalongwithotherkeystakeholders.

35From Species Lists to Cockatoo Reserves...

Table 2. DirectrankingofthreatsinDumaran,Palawan,Philippines


Deputationwasgrantedby theRegionalExecutiveDirectorof theDepartmentofEnvironmentandNaturalResources (DENR) -MIMAROPARegion towhichPalawanbelongs.Deputationgrants thewildlifewardenvolunteersthepowersandauthoritiesusuallygiventoenforcementofficersfromtheDENR.

Paralegal trainingsTwoseparateparalegaltrainingswereconductedwithwildlifewardens,teachers,priests,localpolice,andlocalgovernmentofficialsasparticipants.This trainingaimed toheighten theunderstandingofkeystakeholdersonexistingenvironmentallawsandcapacitatethemtoimplementtheselawseffectively.Thefirsttrainingwastailored for lawenforcement agencies and concernedauthorities in the areawith 27participantswhile thesecondtrainingreached129parishionersaswehadengagedtheparticipationofthelocalchurch.

Protected Area Establishment and Management ThiswaspossiblythemostsignificantoutputfromthesurveysconductedthroughtheKatalaQuestproject.Simultaneous to theconductof thePRIDEcampaignandothercapacity-buildingmeasures,we lobbied forthelegalprotectionofthetwoforestpatchesonDumaranIsland.Inlate2003,MunicipalResolutionNo.070,aresolutiondeclaringtheforestpatchinSitioOmoi,Brgy.Sto.TomasasanenvironmentallyandecologicallyprotectedareawasapprovedbytheMunicipalMayor.AlbeitdeclaredasaPA,thisdoesnotensurefurtherdisturbance.Hence,wemobilizedamulti-sectoralteamtodemarcatetheboundariesofthetwoforestpatchesencompassingthreebarangaysinDumaran:Sto.Tomas,PoblacionandSanJuan.Alongwithrepresentativesfrom theMunicipal’sAssessor’sOffice, Department ofAgriculture, wildlife wardens, farmers near the areaand Katala Foundation, the demarcation was completed in a week. Following this, we proposed for astrengthened legalbasis forprotectionthroughamunicipalordinance.Thedraftof thesaidordinancewentthrough several committee readings at themunicipal council and public consultations prior to its approvalandenactment.OnOctober19,2004,MunicipalOrdinanceNo.2004-092entitled “AnordinanceenforcingtotalprotectionandconservationofPhilippinecockatoo/Katalaandotherendemicandendangeredwildlifewithin theenvironmentallyandecologicallyprotectedareacoveringorencompassingthebarangaysofSto.Tomas,PoblacionandSanJuan,MunicipalityofDumaranand imposingpenalties inviolations thereofandprovidingfundstherefore”wasapprovedbytheMunicipalCouncilandsignedbytheMayoronNovember2,2004.Meanwhile,the2ndforestpatchinSitioManambaling,Bgy.SanJuanwassecuredthroughaBarangayResolutionwhichwasthenapprovedbytheMunicipalCouncilonFebruary15,2005.

LPAMC creation through Executive OrderLobbyingwaspursuedevenafterthedeclarationoftheprotectedareasbecausetherealworkstartsonlythen.WeproposedthecreationofaLocalProtectedAreaManagementCouncil(LPAMC).WehadpatternedthisfromourinitiativesinNarra,thepilotsiteofthePhilippineCockatooConservationProgram.Thismanagementcouncilactsas thegoverningbody for theprotectedarea thatshalloverseeandensure theprotectionandconservationofthePAinthefuture.

Afterseriesofdeliberationsandpresentationsdoneinthelastquarterof2005,MunicipalOrdinanceNo.2006-139wasapproved inJanuary3,2006creatingtheLocalProtectedAreaManagementCommittee(LPAMC)forDumaran,Palawan.Theoverallgoalof theLPAMCistoefficientlyandeffectivelyprotect,conserveandrehabilitateprotectedareasinDumarananditsfloraandfaunatherein.CompositionoftheLPAMCcomprisedmainlyoflocalstakeholdersparticularlytheMayorasChairman,ViceMayorasViceChairmanandmembersareofficesofDENR-CENRO-Roxas,deputizedwildlifewardens,ChairmanoftheCommitteesonEnvironment,Tourism and Agriculture of the Municipal Council, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer,Phil.NationalPolice-Dumaran,MunicipalAgricultureOffice,Principalof theDumaranNationalHighSchool,andheadsofelementaryschools inBgys.SanJuan,Sto.TomasandPoblacion,MunicipalTaskForceandrepresentative of farmers surrounding thePA.TheKatalaFoundation serves as the host organization andsecretariatoftheCommittee.

Other uses of information gatheredEnvironmental action planswhichwere agreed during thePlanningWorkshops andStakeholdersMeetingwereincorporatedinthemunicipality’sMediumTermDevelopmentPlaninAugust2005.TheseplansmainlysupporttheconservationofthePAtherebyensuringthesurvivalofthecockatoospeciesandallotherwildlifethatsharesitshabitat.

36


Threemembersof theKatalaQuest teamparticipated in thefirstPhilippineBirdFestheld inQuezonCity,PhilippinesonNovember,2005throughapresentationoftheresultsoftheKatalaQuestinnorthernPalawan.TheteamleadergaveashortpresentationaboutthePhilippinecockatooconservationprogrambeforekids,birdenthusiastsandguestsduringthefestival.

Further,resultswerepresentedinposterformduringthe15thAnnualConferenceoftheWildlifeConservationSocietyofthePhilippinesinApril2006.

AcknowledgmentsWewish to thank the BPConservation Programme through its sponsors, British Petroleum, ConservationInternational, Fauna and Flora International, BirdLife International and Wildlife Conservation Society whograntedusaSilverAwardfortheKatalaQuestandmadethisBPExpeditionpossible.


ThankstotheRareConservationthroughtheCriticalEcosystemsPartnershipFund(CEPF)forgrantingthePRIDEcampaignonDumaran.

Wearegrateful toLoroParqueFundacion (LPF)andFundingPartners:ConservationdesEspècesetdesPopulationsAnimales(CEPA),ZoologischeGesellschaftfürArten-undPopulationsschutz(ZGAP;incl.Fondsfür Bedrohte Papageien and Strunden-Papageien-Stiftung), North of England Zoological Society (ChesterZoologicalGardens)andZoodeBeauvalfortheirconsistentandvaluablesupport.

LiteratureAnda,R.D.&J.G.Tabangay-Baldera (eds.), 2004.Surublien:Strategies toconservePalawan’sbiodiversity.Provincial governmentof

Palawan,PCSDS,DENRReg.IV.PNNI,CIPhilippines.Butler,P.J.,1995.MarketingtheConservationMessage:UsingParrotstopromoteprotectionandPrideintheCaribbean.Pp87-102.In:

S.K.Jacobson(ed.)ConservingWildlifeInternationalEducationandCommunicationApproaches,ColumbiaUniversityPress,NewYork,USA.

CollarN.J.MallariN.A.D.&TabaranzaJr.BR.,1999ThreatenedBirdsofthePhilippinesTheHaribonFoundation/BirdlifeInternationalRedDataBook.Bookmark,Inc,Manila,Philippines.

Diesmos,A.C,G.V.A.Gee,M.L.Diesmos,R.M.Brown,P.J.Widmann&J.C.Dimalibot,2004:RediscoveryofthePhilippineforestturtle,Heosemys leytensis(Chelonia,Bataguridae),fromPalawanisland,Philippines.AsiaticHerpetologicalResearch10:22-27.

IUCN,2008:2008IUCNRedListofthreatenedspecies.www.redlist.org.DownloadedonOctober30,2008.Jacobson,S.K.,M.D,McDuffandM.C.Monroe,2006.ConservationEducationandOutreachTechniques.OxfordUniversityPressInc.,

NewYork.Mallari,N.A.D.,B.R.TabaranzaJr.&M.J.Crosby,2001.KeyConservationsitesinthePhilippines.HaribonBirdLifeInternational,Manila,

Philippines.Margoluis,R.andN.Salafsky,1998:MeasuresofSuccess:Designing,Managing,andMonitoringConservationDevelopmentProjects.

IslandPress,WashingtonDC,USA.pp.54-57.Martin,G.J.,1995.Ethnobotany.ChapmanandHall,2-6BoundaryLow,London.U.K.Matillano,J.D.,P.WidmannandK.Lachenmaier,2008.TheBirdsofPagdananRange,LakeManguaoandMalampayaSound,Northern

Palawan,Philippines.This publication. McKenzie-Mohr,D.&W.Smith,1999.FosteringSustainableBehaviour -An Introduction toCommunity-BasedSocialMarketing.New

SocietyPublishers.Schoppe,SandM.Cervancia, in press.HerpetologicalsurveysalongPagdananRangeandDumaranIsland,NorthernPalawan,Philippines.

Hamadryad,January2009.(acceptedOctober16,2008).Villafuerte,D.,2005.CompilationofethnozoologicalresultsofKatalaQuest,KFI,PuertoPrincesaCity,Philippines.Unpublished report.Widmann,I.,.2005.CriticalReflectionofthePRIDECampaign.UniversityofKent,UK.Unpublishedreport.Widmann,I.,2005.FinalReport-PRIDECampaign.SubmittedtoRAREConservationandUniversityofKent,UK.Unpublishedreport.Widmann,P.,2001:DistributionandstatusofthePhilippinecockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia)inthewild.Unpubl. Discussion paper.

32pp.Widmann,Peter,R.M.Dumalag,I.D.L.Widmann,K.Lachenmaier,S.H.Diaz,D.D.VillafuerteandJ.D.Matillano,2008.Observationsonthe

mammalsoflowlandforestsinthePagdananRangeandDumaranIsland,Palawan,Philippines. This publication.

37From Species Lists to Cockatoo Reserves...

Murina cyclotis © pwidmann

Hypsipetes palawanensis © pwidmann

Haeromys pusillus © pwidmann

Sundasciurus juvencus © pwidmann

Trichastoma cinereiceps © pwidmann

Otus fuliginosus © pwidmann

Trimeresurus schultzei © sschoppe

Siebenrockiella leytensis © pwidmann

Limnonectes acanthi © sschoppe

Cuora amboinensis © sschoppe

Barbourula busuangensis © pwidmann

Megophrys ligayae © sschoppe

KATALA FOUNDATION, INC. (KFI), a non-stock, non-governmental organization, is active in protecting and conserving wildlife, particularly the Philippine cockatoo from which its name is derived and other threatened wildlife in the Philippines. Its niche developed over the years of research, advocacy, community development and practical conservation to achieve its vision that is, to effect conservation of biological diversity through active community involvement.

The first part of this publication describes the results of KFI’s Katala Quest expedition in Northern Palawan, Philippines. The quest won Silver Award from the British Petroleum (BP) Conservation Programme in 2003. The second part is a compilation of conservation studies and researches conducted in Palawan by KFI or in cooperation with KFI and local partners.

It is the intent of this publication to make available the findings of these researches to a wider audience to create awareness for and, if possible, to inspire more conservation projects for Palawan’s rich flora and fauna.

Conservation S

tudies on Palaw

an Biodiversity

Indira Widm

ann, Peter W

idmann, S

abine Schoppe,

Deborah van den B

eukel and Merlin E

spesoC

onservation Studies on P

alawan B

iodiversity

Contact:

Katala Foundation, Inc.P.O. Box 390Puerto Princesa City 5300Palawan, PhilippinesTel/Fax no. +63484347693Email: [email protected]: www.philippinecockatoo.org

conation studi on alaan biodiit · dumaguete city, philippines 6200. the island-province of palawan...

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