Saturday 25 April 2015

Wildlife in the Philippines...

The Philippine Tarsier
The Philippines has one of the world's highest biodiversities. Almost half of its bird life, and two-thirds of its mammals and plants are found nowhere else. In all, 1,137 species are found only in the Philippines.

Many of these species are considered "threatened or endangered", including the Tamaraw, a type of wild cattle, the Philippine Tarsier, the Cloud Rat, Golden-Crowned Flying Fox (commonly known as the Fruit Bat), several species of Wild Pig, and the Philippine Spotted Deer.

Other protected creatures include marine life such as Sea Turtles, Dugong, and Whale Sharks.

Underwater, no country has a greater diversity of marine life, and divers are lured from all over the world to this great diving destination.

Whale Sharks are primarily found off Donsol, in Bicol; and Oslob, in the south of Cebu, as well as a few other parts of the country. These gentle giants feed off plankton and krill.

Five types of sea turtle are now found in the Philippines. The leatherback turtle being one of the biggest. Two species of turtle, the Green and Hawksbill, nest on the islands' beaches.

The Philippine Tarsier, shown above, is endemic to the Philippines, and can be found mainly on the islands of Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

The Tarsier is one of the smallest primates, and is nocturnal, living on a diet of insects. Although now protected, the tarsier is still threatened by the destruction of its natural forest habitat, which has caused a big reduction in the Tarsier population.

In the Calamian islands, (Coron), Calauit Island has become a Nature Park, Game Reserve, and Wildlife Sanctuary, and is home to a huge collection of animals that were originally from Kenya, including giraffes, zebras, and gazelles. These animals are now thriving as they share their new home with creatures endemic to the Philippines.

Read more about Philippines Wildlife on our website HERE >>