Philippines Moist Forests- A Global Ecoregion
111 of 172 species of land mammals found on these islands are endemic
Snapshot: Ecoregion 27
Size:
280,000 sq. km (110,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Geographic Location:
Philippine Islands
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Quiz Time!
Can Flying Lemirs actually fly?
Answer:
Flying lemurs don't fly but rather glide from trees on wide flaps of skin stretched between their legs. As they soar, their young cling tightly to them.
Answer:
Flying lemurs don't fly but rather glide from trees on wide flaps of skin stretched between their legs. As they soar, their young cling tightly to them.
About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Mindoro rain forests; Mindanao-Eastern Visayas rain forests; Mindanao montane rain forests; Luzon rain forests; Greater Negros-Panay rain forests; Luzon tropical pine forests; Luzon montane rain forests.
There is high degree of endemism in Philippine birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Of the roughly 12,000 species of plants and fungi, about 3,500 are endemic, with 33 endemic families, and approximately 96 species of non-flying land mammals of which, 70 are found nowhere else.Local Species
Mammals include a species of forest buffalo called the Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), Mindoro rat (Anonymomys mindorensis) - found only on the island of Mindoro, and the Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta).
Threatened bat species include little Golden-mantled fruit bat (Pteropus pumilus), Katanglad fruit bat (Alionycteris paucidentata), and Fischer's pygmy fruit bat (Haplonycteris fischeri).
Among the numerous endemic bird species are Rabor's wren-babbler (Napothera rabori), White-lored oriole (Oriolus albiloris), Isabela oriole (O. isabellae), Rufous paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone cinnamomea), Mindoro imperial-pigeon (Ducula mindorensis), and Scarlet-collared flowerpecker (Dicaeum retrocinctum).
Threats
Most of the forests and their species are severely threatened by extensive habitat degradation and loss due to logging, agriculture, soil erosion, and hunting. Regular burning in some areas prevents forest regeneration.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
