2 new species -- parrot, mouse -- found in Camiguin

First posted 06:01am (Mla time) April 07, 2006
Inquirer



Editor's Note: Published on page A1 of the Apr. 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


TWO NEW SPECIES have been found in the Philippines, one of the world's biodiversity hot spots facing environmental degradation and deforestation.

A brightly plumaged parrot and a long-tailed forest mouse unique to the country have been discovered in the vanishing rain forest of Camiguin Island, US-based researchers said yesterday.

Camiguin, a volcanic island in northern Mindanao, is a treasure trove of fauna, and already had endemic species of rodents and frogs before the discovery of the rusty brown mouse and the green hanging parrot, known among locals as "Colasisi."

But Camiguin's wildlife is at risk from deforestation, warned researchers, writing in the April 5 issue "Fieldiana: Zoology," a peer-reviewed, scientific journal about biodiversity research published by the Chicago-based Field Museum of Natural History.

"Knowing that at least 54 species of birds and at least 24 species of mammals live on Camiguin and that some of these animals are found nowhere else on earth, makes us realize how important this island is," said Lawrence Heaney, curator of mammals at the Field Museum and coauthor of several of the reports in the publication.

"For these animals to survive, we've got to save the dwindling forests where they live," he said in a press release issued by the museum.

Severely deforested

Blas Tabaranza Jr., director of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Project of the Haribon Foundation in Manila, said the Philippines was increasingly recognized as a global center for biodiversity, with exceptionally high levels of endemism or the state of being restricted to or peculiar to a locality or region.

"Unfortunately, the Philippines has also vaulted into notoriety as one of the most severely deforested tropical countries in the world," Tabaranza, a co-author of several of the Fieldiana reports, said in the press release.

The Philippines hosts a wealth of endemic flora and fauna but more than 70 percent of its original forests have been destroyed.

Camiguin was once almost entirely covered by rain forest but by 2001, logging, agriculture and human settlement had reduced the forest cover to only 18 percent. Half of the island, a popular diving destination, is covered with coconut plantations.

Conservation priority

The scientists have declared Camiguin's rain forest to be a key global conservation priority. Efforts to protect the remaining rain forest in which these animals live as a national park have been under way for several years, in collaboration between The Field Museum, Haribon Foundation, the local government and the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The two new species were discovered as the result of recent and earlier field studies.

The new species of parrot was known to locals because of its value in the pet trade. The bird's throat and thighs are bright blue and the top of its head and tail are brilliant scarlet-orange.

Males and females have identical plumage, which is quite unusual in this group of parrot.

The description is based on previously unstudied specimens in The Field Museum and the Delaware Museum of Natural History collected in the 1960s by D.S. Rabor. The name for the new species is Loriculus camiguinensis, or Camiguin Hanging-parrot.

Distinctive

"This description is based on a series of specimens that had been part of The Field Museum's collections for almost 40 years, so our work highlights the value of collecting and preserving scientific specimens, because you may not initially realize the significance of specimens," said John Bates, curator of birds and chair of zoology at The Field Museum, and a co-author of one of the Fieldiana reports.

"If we did not have a series of specimens from Camiguin and additional series of Hanging-parrots from other Philippine islands, we probably would have assumed that the single bird that prompted our investigation was just odd-looking, and we would not have been able to recognize it as distinctive," Bates said.

Overlooked

One of L. camiguinensis' characteristics that was key to identifying it as a new species is the fact that its plumage is relatively dull compared to other Philippine hanging-parrots.

This is consistent with the documented tendency of some isolated bird populations to lose their bright plumage, the authors noted.

Because L. camiguinensis has not been recognized as a separate species, little is known about its habits, and it has been overlooked in terms of conservation. The discovery has spurred interest in the field studies needed to establish the population size and requirements as a prerequisite for conservation planning and action.

After learning about the Fieldiana manuscript, Thomas Arndt, a German parrot enthusiast, made a trip to Camiguin to look for these birds. He photographed the parrots and was preparing a publication about his findings.

New even to locale

The mouse, discovered high on the steep slopes of one of the island's volcanoes, was new to locals.

The rusty-brown rodent, known as Apomys camiguinensis, has large eyes and ears and feeds mostly on insects and seeds.

The description is based on mice captured on Camiguin during a biological survey Heaney and Tabaranza conducted in 1994 and 1995.

In 2002, Heaney, Tabaranza and Eric Rickart, of the Utah Museum of Natural History, described a different species of forest-living rodent, Bullimus gamay, from Mt. Timpoong, the same mountain where the new mouse was collected.

A frog (Oreophryne nana) named in 1967 had been thought to be the only vertebrate restricted to the island prior to the surveys by Heaney and Tabaranza.

Deserves int'l attention

"Very few states in the United States, and few countries in Europe, have four endemic species of vertebrates, making it clear why tiny Camiguin Island is deserving of international attention," Heaney said.

"And it is almost certain that other organisms in Camiguin are also endemic; they just have not been studied yet."

Camiguin is only 265 square kilometers. It has been continuously isolated from its neighbors, even during the Ice Age of the Pleistocene, when sea levels dropped 120 meters below present levels. This isolation contributed to the differentiation of the island's animals. With a report from Inquirer wires

Here is the link:
http://www.inq7.net/index_network.htm#

Congartulations to the peopleof Camiguin

But they must protect those species ! Just like TV Patrol World featured a while ago the Philippine Eagle Owl!

if these animals arent protected then you'll be seing them in the black market very soon.

Eagle-Owl mix breed???

This is not new to me, because the Philippines is a unique country. I mean 2 years ago, they found a new bird in calayan island, then last year, scientists found new species (shells) in Bohol island, and now these new found species in Camiquin. if they go around the Philippines, and go to places where the locals only dares to go, then I'm sure they'll find more new species.

Bubo philippensis
(Philippine Eagle-owl)

This species has a small, severely fragmented population which is undergoing a rapid decline as a result of extensive lowland deforestation throughout its range and perhaps hunting, qualifying it as Vulnerable

Calayan Rail



Remarkable rail discovered "just in time"
17-08-2004

Exactly one hundred years after the last visit by an ornithologist, a team of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian specialists arrived in May this year on the island of Calayan, one of the Babuyan Islands in the northernmost part of the Philippines archipelago. There, they made the remarkable discovery of a new species of rail, which they have named the Calayan Rail Gallirallus calayanensis. (The formal description appears in Forktail 20: 1–7, published by the Oriental Bird Club.)

Like its closest relative, the Okinawa Rail G. okinawae from Okinawa Island, 1,000 km to the north in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, the new species appears to be almost flightless. The two species closely resembles one another in size and structure.

The Babuyan Islands Expedition was jointly led by Carl Oliveros and Genevieve Broad, who had both previously worked on a WWF project to conserve humpback whales in the waters around the island. They had the support of the Mayor of Calayan, who wants the island and its surrounding waters to be made a protected area.

Just before noon on 11 May 2004, Carmella Espanola was walking through a clearing and heard unfamiliar calls that drew her attention to a group of four rails in the undergrowth. Shortly afterwards she watched two birds cross the trail and begin feeding. They were all dark, with orange-red bill and legs and appeared to be the same size as Barred Rail G. torquatus, a common species on the island.

Carmella took notes and photographs, and recorded the calls. But her account of the sighting had Des Allen, an expedition member and expert on oriental birds completely stumped. Next day he went to the same area, and heard unfamiliar “loud, rasping trumpeting calls”, interspersed with the calls Carmella had recorded. He played back her recording, and a bird answered it and later he saw the unmistakable silhouette of a medium-sized rail. Returning towards camp, Des heard the calls again in an area of primary forest. This time, playback attracted a rail to within two metres of where he stood. From the uniform dark plumage, red legs and medium-length red bill, Des knew that this was something unknown. Later that day he made a short video-recording of one of the rails, and showed it to the other team members. Over subsequent days, the team observed the birds many times. In fact, the number of sightings indicated that the rail was quite common in the area. Discussions with local people established the rail was well known to them, and had a local name of “piding”.


Carmela Española
The rail lives among the dense undergrowth of the island's forests
Zoom In
"The discovery of the Calayan Rail is a wonderful demonstration that the world has much to reveal to us yet. However, these newly discovered species are nearly always at risk from human influence, because most are on islands or mountains, where their ranges are naturally quite small. The Calayan Rail is another species that we have discovered just in time, another case for long-term care by human society." —Nigel Collar, BirdLife International

The rail appears to be restricted to forests on coralline limestone areas, which probably make up less than half the island’s surface, and the extent of their suitable habitat is likely to be much less than 100 km², and could be smaller than 10 km². Des suspects they are abundant, but very localised.

Although the rails are occasionally caught in chicken snares, they are not directly hunted. However, work to build a road around the island, and from Poblacion to the centre, has already begun. These roads may encourage the spread of settlements, and people will bring introduced predators — cats, dogs and rats — along with them.

On the basis of its small currently known population and range size, the Calayan Rail appears to qualify as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. It is likely to become more threatened in the future, and action is needed to pre-empt potential threats to the bird and its habitat.

The expedition team plans further research to determine the habitat requirements, distribution and population of the Calayan Rail. They will work closely with the local community to minimise threats, and encourage long-term initiatives to protect the forest. Genevieve Broad said the Calayan islanders are concerned about the future of the island’s environment and natural resources. “I hope this discovery will bring the recognition these islands deserve, as an important site of biological diversity,” she said.

Two new species discovered, bolster case for Philippine conservation
from Haribon Philippine site:

Two new species discovered, bolster case for Philippine conservation
Posted on 7 April, 2006 - 4:59pm.

CHICAGO—Scientists have discovered two new species – a parrot and a mouse – that live only on a small island in the Philippines. This island, Camiguin, is the smallest Philippine island, of which there are 7,000, known to support a bird or mammal species that is endemic (lives nowhere else).

The scientists’ research, which is embargoed, is described in the April 5 issue of Fieldiana: Zoology, a peer-reviewed, scientific journal about biodiversity research published by The Field Museum.

These new discoveries and the biological diversity they document strengthen the case for preserving the small area of natural rain forest still found on the island.

“Knowing that at least 54 species of birds and at least 24 species of mammals live on Camiguin, and that some of these animals are found nowhere else on earth, makes us realize how important this island is in terms of conservation,” said Lawrence Heaney, Curator of Mammals, at The Field Museum and a co-author of several of the reports in this publication. “For these animals to survive, we’ve got to save the dwindling forests where they live.”

The island was once almost entirely covered by rain forest, but by 2001 only 18% was still forested, Heaney said. That amount has dropped since then, as logging, agriculture and human settlement have continued to erode the forests. In fact, almost half the island is now covered with coconut plantations.

“The Philippines is increasingly recognized as a global center for biodiversity, with exceptionally high levels of endemism,” said Blas Tabaranza Jr., Director of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Project of the Haribon Foundation, a Philippine conservation NGO based in Manila, and a co-author of several of the Fieldiana reports. “Unfortunately, the Philippines has also vaulted into notoriety as one of the most severely deforested tropical countries in the world.”

The scientists have declared Camiguin’s rain forest to be a key global conservation priority. Efforts to protect the remaining rain forest in which these animals live as a national park have been underway for several years, in collaboration between The Field Museum, Haribon Foundation, local government, and Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Camiguin’s forests are not only necessary to protect endangered wildlife, such as the two newly discovered endemic species. They are also essential for the ecotourism that provides much of the island’s income. In addition, the forests provide ecological support for the coral reefs surrounding the island that require low levels of runoff and siltation.

According to Tabaranza, the rain forest protects watersheds on the island’s steep slopes, helping to control soil erosion and prevent landslides. In February 2006, a mudslide on denuded slopes on the neighboring island of Leyte virtually obliterated the farming village of Guinsaugon and killed an estimated 1,500 residents.

Camiguin is only 102 square miles (265 square kilometers). It has been continuously isolated from its neighbors, even during the Ice Ages of the Pleistocene, when sea levels dropped to 130 yards (120 meters) below present levels. This isolation contributed to the differentiation of the island’s animals.


Detective work
The two new species were discovered as the result of recent and earlier field studies.

1. The parrot is a Hanging-parrot, or Colasisi, with bright green feathers covering most of the body. The throat and thighs are bright blue, and the top of the head and tail are brilliant scarlet-orange. Males and females have identical plumage, which is quite unusual in this group of parrots.


The description is based on previously unstudied specimens in The Field Museum and the Delaware Museum of Natural History collected in the 1960’s by D. S. Rabor. The name for the new species is Loriculus camiguinensis, or Camiguin Hanging-parrot.

“This description is based on a series of specimens that had been part of The Field Museum’s collections for almost 40 years, so our work highlights the value of collecting and preserving scientific specimens, because you may not initially realize the significance of specimens,” said John Bates, Curator of Birds and Chair of Zoology at The Field Museum, and a co-author of one of the Fieldiana reports. “If we did not have a series of specimens from Camiguin and additional series of Hanging-parrots from other Philippine Islands, we probably would have assumed that the single bird that prompted our investigation was just odd looking, and we would not have been able to recognize it as distinctive.”

One of L. camiguinensis’ characteristics that was key to identifying it as a new species is the fact that its plumage is relatively dull compared to other Philippine Hanging-parrots. This is consistent with the documented tendency for some isolated bird populations to lose bright plumage, the authors note.
Because L. camiguinensis has not been recognized as a separate species, little is known about its habits, and it has been overlooked in terms of conservation. The discovery has spurred interest in the field studies needed to establish the population size and requirements as a prerequisite for conservation planning and action.

After learning about the Fieldiana manuscript, Thomas Arndt, a German parrot enthusiast, made a trip to Camiguin to look for these birds. He photographed the parrots and is preparing a publication about his findings.

2. The new mammal is a Philippine forest mouse, now identified as Apomys camiguinensis. It has large ears and eyes, a long tail and rusty-brown fur, and it feeds mostly on insects and seeds. The description is based on mice captured on Camiguin during a biological survey Heaney and Tabaranza conducted in 1994 and 1995, high on the steep slopes of one of the island’s volcanoes.

Local people had not previously known of the mouse, though they have known of the parrot because of its value in the pet trade. In 2002, Heaney, Tabaranza, and Eric Rickart, of the Utah Museum of Natural History, described a different species of forest-living rodent, Bullimus gamay, from Mt. Timpoong, the same mountain where the new mouse was collected. A frog (Oreophryne nana) named in 1967 had been thought to be the only vertebrate restricted to the island prior to the surveys by Heaney and Tabaranza.

“Very few states in the United States, and few countries in Europe, have four endemic species of vertebrates, making it clear why tiny Camiguin Island is deserving of international attention,” Heaney said. “And it is almost certain that other organisms on Camiguin are also endemic; they just have not been studied yet.”

Illustration by Michael Skakuj, Courtesy of The Field Museum.

Photo by Thomas Arndt, Courtesy of The Field Museum

A few years ago there was a new rafflesia that was also disovered:

The largest flower
Posted on 27 February, 2005 - 4:46am.

The world's largest flower, now blooming at Sibalom Natural Park in Antique


by Art Fuentes


To see the world’s largest flower for the first time is to encounter a life form so strange, it makes you wonder if you’re in the presence of something from a different planet or era. The Rafflesia is completely unlike any bloom you have ever seen, or for that matter will ever see.

The flower exists, without the usual parts we have come to associate with flowers, or even plants—no stem, no branch, not even leaves. Then there is also the matter of its size which ranges in diameter from a cabbage head to a car tire. The Rafflesia is the veritable T-Rex of the world of blossoms. And because of all its strangeness, the Rafflesia is an awe to behold.

What is the Rafflesia?
The flower is named after its European discoverer Thomas Stamford Raffles. First discovered in Sumatra in 1818, twenty Rafflesia species have been found so far in different parts of Southeast Asia. Many of the species are extremely rare, and have been recorded from only a handful of localities.

The flower is actually a parasite. It grows within its host, the tetrastigma vine, and in its early stages appears as but a tangle of fibers. It only starts manifesting itself during its reproductive cycle. Outgrowths appear on the root vine (1), then cabbage-like buds develop (2), then a fully open flower blooms (3) and bears fruit. The flowers themselves take a long time to develop.



From the time the bud appears, it can take 9-10 months for the flower to bloom. Not all buds bloom into flowers, a lot of buds decay before they can even open. Too much rain causes the buds to rot, while too little rain causes them to shrivel up and dry.

Lifecycle
Each flower is either male or female. Female flowers are rare, and of these, fewer still are fertilized. The flowering episode itself is brief, and will last no more than a couple of days. Once in bloom, the flower releases a putrid scent that attracts flies and other insects that serve to pollinate it. For a female flower to get pollinated, a male flower must be nearby and also in bloom.
After a period of 3-5 days, whether or not they are successful at pollination, the flowers begin to wither and turn black. If the female flower was successfully pollinated, it will bear fruits that get buried somewhere near the bottom, waiting to be picked up by forest rats, insects or other animals. Finally, for the seeds to form another bloom, they need to find their way to the right kind of vine.

Despite significant scientific research, many aspects of the Rafflesia’s biology have yet to be figured out. We still do not know how its seeds germinate and grow and we have no idea why the Rafflesia associates itself with the tetrastigma vine.

Uroy
There are currently three known species of the flower here in the Philippines. Rafflesia manillana can be found in Luzon, most prominently in Mt. Makiling in Laguna and Mt. Isarog in Bicol. The second species—Rafflesia schadenbergiana, was discovered in Mt. Apo in Mindanao in 1882, but has since never again been seen. It is probably already extinct.

Pictures from Haribon Philippines:

Sibalom Natural Park, Antique- home of the newest largest flower

The third Philippine species of the flower can be found in Southern Panay. Named Rafflesia species novum, it also the newest species of the giant flower to be discovered. Locally known as uroy, the Rafflesia has long been familiar to the residents of Mt. Porras in the towns of Sibalom and San Remegio, Antique. However, it was only in 2002 that the uroy was confirmed to be a distinct species. The newly-established Sibalom Natural Park quickly adopted the new Rafflesia species as its flagship attraction.

The discovery of the new Rafflesia species caused a sensation in the province of Antique. The discovery was reported in both the national and local dailies. A lot of visitors trooped to Sibalom Natural Park to see the giant flowers.

The uroy has great potential to be a major ecotourist attraction for the Sibalom Natural Park. However, steps must be taken to protect the flower from being overwhelmed by the influx of sightseers.

What are the threats to this species?
The Rafflesia is obviously a very sensitive living thing. The survival of the plant depends on a lot of factors—the seeds need to find the right host, the buds need to receive the right amount of water and nutrients, and flowers of the opposite sex must be near by so that pollination can occur.

In Malaysia, where the flowers have been star attractions in natural parks for years, park authorities have instituted measures to minimize the impact of tourism on the survival of the flowers. They found that a lot of buds failed to bloom when disturbed. Efforts at cultivating the flower have also met little success.

While ecotourism must be carefully controlled, by far the most significant threat to the Rafflesia is the destruction of its habitat. The Rafflesia depends on the rainforest to survive. Across the Philippines, rainforests are being felled due to logging, mining, and the conversion of forest lands for commercial and residential uses. If these forests are destroyed, the Rafflesia may also cease to exist—along with other unique and irreplaceable Philippine flora and fauna.


To those who wanted to make donations for their worthy proects in conservation and preservation of various Philippine wildlife you may go to their link:

Haribon Foundation

Here are some more of the endemic and rare Philippine Flora and Faunas




Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus)
The largest bat in the world.

With a wingspan of nearly 6 ft or 1.7m and weight of 1.5 kg, they are indeed the largest in the fruit bat category. These dogs and foxes look-alike, roost in large groups and hang themselves upside down in treetops. By sunset, their stretching, flying and feeding activities start. They can travel up to 60 km every night just to feed on flowers, fruits and nectars. As voracious eaters, they can consume food, which amounts to half their body weight. Flying foxes are mammals, and like humans, the mother produces milk for the young ones, and gives birth to a single young each year, but rarely twins. Unfortunately, their survival is threatened by human’s indiscriminate hunting for food, habitat conversion to other land uses, and forest destruction.


Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat (Phloeomys pallidus)
The largest endemic rat in the Philippines.

They weigh up to 2.5 kilos. Unlike ordinary mice and rats, they don’t spread diseases or pose threats to humans. They are quiet and timid animals that nest in hollow trees. They actively forage in the forests and feed on tender young leaves. However, cloud rats are severely threatened due to the destruction of their habitat and by rampant hunting for their meat. Only one young is born in a year; thus, their slow-growing population also contributes to the threats they face.



Sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis)
The smallest food fish in the world.

So tiny, they measure only 2.1-2.45 cm and have an average length of 12.5mm. The males of this species are smaller, shorter and more slender than the females. Their home is confined in Lakes Buhi, Bato, Katugday and Manapao in Camarines Sur Province and along the Bicol River. A school of Sinarapan, approximately 100,000 to 500,000 individuals, swim at an average depth of 7 to 10 meters. If placed inside a tabletop aquarium, they live for only about 10 minutes.



Pygmy Forest Frog (Platymantis pygmaeus)
The smallest frog in the Philippines.

So small, they measure only 14-16 mm or about the size of a 10-centavo coin. So light, they weigh only 0.2-0.4 grams. The home range of these nocturnal and land-dwelling animals is confined in the lowland forests of the Northern Sierra Madre Mountains in Isabela and Kalinga-Apayao provinces.




Mangkono or Philippine Ironwood (Xanthostemon verdugonianus)
The hardest tree in the Philippines

Cutting a Mangkono tree of about 70 cm diameter usually takes two to four days. The species is endemic to the Philippines and is known to have a very limited habitat. It is indigenous only within the so-called ‘Mangkono Triangle’ area consisting of the Dinagat Island in Surigao, the Homonhon Island in Samar, Babatngon in Leyte, and in Palawan. It rarely grows more than a few inches in diameter. It is mainly used as pillars of small houses. In islands where the Mangkonos are found, people believe that the tree becomes tougher when exposed to heavy rainfall.




Vanda sanderiana


Vanda sanderiana var albata

Vanda sanderiana or Waling-waling one of the 1,300 species of orchids species that is critically endangered
found in the Philippines - author Jim Cootes- Australian said that there were at least 5 more orchid species had been discovered this year in the Philippines. The genus is now also known as "Euanthe"

In 1882 one of Mr. Sanders explorers by the name of Roebelin was despatched to the Philippines to search for new species, one day, as a guest of a "savage" chieftain south east of Mindanao, he found himself accomodated in a tree house which was perched high in the canopy of one particularly large tree, so as to be "well out the way of animals".

Early in the morning whilst it was still dark he awoke to a deep throated roaring sound and found the tree swaying wildly, it became apparent that an earthquake had shaken the forest, and in particular his abode, throwing all his companions to the ground, destroying his makeshift ladder, and leaving him isolated in the ruins of the tree house.

When dawn broke, he lay back, gazing forlornly through a hole in the remnants of his roof, and he noticed some very large flowers of a lilac and cinnamon colouring growing in the very tree he had chosen as a campsite, climbing up he identified the orchid as a new species and named it Vanda Sanderiana.

it doesnt look like an eagle

Map of Camiguin island




Here is a link:Camiguin island
Camiguin Island, Philippines


Camiguin Island is a picturesque volcanic island situated off the north coast of Mindanao. Although beaches are rocky and less inviting than those found elsewhere in the Philippines, the island compensates with magnificent natural scenery, seven soaring volcanoes, tiny offshore islets with good coral, hot and cold soda-water springs, crashing waterfalls and very friendly people......This is how my book starts about Camiguin Island.



The Island

Camiguin is a volcanic island with seven volcanoes dominating the rugged, hilly terrain. The three highest volcanoes in the province are Mt. Tempong (1,580m), Mt. Mambajao (1,420 m), and Mt. Hibok-Hibok (1,250 m)

The coastline alternates between black or white sand beaches and volcanic rock. Bays surrounding the province are the coastal population's source of livelihood.

Vegetation and natural springs make the island's climate cool, mild, and invigorating. Dry season starts in April and lasts for three months; November to January are the coldest months.


History

The name Camiguin is derived from the word kamagong, which is a tree of the ebony family. The original inhabitants were the Manobo who migrated from Surigao. When Visayan settlers arrived, the Manobo retreated to the highlands of Mindanao.

The people of Camiguin were already trading with merchants of neighboring Asian countries when Ferdinand Magellan and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi landed here in 1521 and 1565 respectively. But it was not until 1598 that a Spanish settlement was founded in what later came to be Guinsiliban.Catarman, were barangay Bonbon is now, became the major settlement in the island until 1871 when Vulkan Daan erupted, sinking part of the town into the sea, after which the town proper was moved to its present site. Mambajao was not established until 1855 but it grew quickly to be the busiest part in Northern Mindanao in early 1900's. During World War II, the Japanese burned downtown Mambajao to retaliate against guerilla activities in the island. When Mt. Hibok-Hibok erupted in 1951, lava covered many barrios in Mambajao and 3,000 people were killed. Camiguin was a part of Misamis Oriental until 1958 when it became a sub-province. It was made into a separate province on June 18, 1966 through Republic Act. No. 4669, but formally inaugurated only in 1968.


The people

The population is of Visayan descent. Cebuano and Hiligaynon are the main dialects. A few people in Sagay and Guinsiliban still speak the old native language called Kinamiguin.


Commerce and Industry

The main occupations of the people are farming and fishing. Camiguin clay is considered to be the best for coconuts, bananas, coffee, and fruit trees. Lanzones grown on the slopes of Mt. Hibok-Hibok is said to be the sweetest in the country. Local fishing is mostly at marginal or subsistence level.


How to get there

It cost me a lot of trouble to get to the island but it was all worth it.

There is a small airport on the island but it's expensive and not much used. The best way is take a ferry from Balingoan in north Mindanao to Binoni on Camiguin. The ferries leave eight times daily and takes 90 minutes for the crossing. From here you can take jeepneys to every village on the island.

Balingoan can be reached from Cagayan d'Oro with a bus what takes 2 hours (85 km). The busses to Balingoan leaves frequently from the Agora market. Long distance ferries (to get to Cagayan d'Oro) need to be booked a few days in advance, at least if you don't want to pay that much.

A direct boat from Cagayan de Oro to Camiguin takes 51/2 hours to reach Binoni and leaves only on Mondays and Fridays.


Festivals

Panaad - Annually Holy Thursday and Good Friday activity. This is a gathering of people from all walks of life in Camiguin and nearby regions for a yearly devotion to spend the Holy Week by walking the 64 km. Circumferential road of Camiguin and trekking the tedious od vulcan as expression of penitence and spiritual enrichment.

San Juan Hibok-Hibokan - June 24. Held to honor St. John the Baptist. Water sports, like boat races and fluvial procession are conducted. Miss Hibok-Hibokan is selected

Lanzones Festival - Held every 3rd week of October. A two day ground festival of agri-cottage industry products in exhibit; barangay beautification, indigenous sports; tableau of local culture and grand parade of the golden fruit found extra sweet in the entire province.

May Festival - May 15. A month long fiesta celebration of the barangays and town in Camiguin. It also features the search for the Rose of May and Santacruzan as the highlights of the celebration.




Facts:
Capital:
Mambajao

Area:
229 sq. km

Population (1995):
68,039

Towns:
5

No. of Households:
13,474


Points of interest

White Island - 1 km offshore an uninhabited sand bar. People just go there to have a picnic and then return to the main land. It's too hot to stay long (no trees not even grass so no shadow) and with high tide there is not much of an island.

Matique or Magsaysay Island - 2 km offshore an inhabited beautiful island surrounded by coral reefs. About 10 families live on the island from fishing. Great place for snorkeling.

Mt Hibok-Hibok - This is the most active among the island seven volcanoes. In 1951 the volcano erupted without warning, belching hot gases and absorbing so much oxygen that over 2000 people instantly died from asphyxiation. Now dormant, 1600m Hibok-Hibok can be climbed in a single day. The approach for climbing is its base in Barangay Esperanza in Mambajao. A crater lake and steam outlets are at the peak which affords a clear view of the entire province and Bohol across the sea.

Katibawasan Falls - five km southeast of Mambajao town proper, cascades 50 m into an icy pool surrounded by orchids, wild ferns, and boulders and if your lucky you can spot some wild monkeys in the afternoons. During the weekends many families come to this place to have a picnic.

Tuwasan Falls - 6 km northeast of Catarman cascades this in a small pool. It's not that easy to reach and there won't be many people (i haven't seen any) but it's worth while going here.

Ardent Hot Spring - In Esperanza the natural stone pool is fed by warm (almost 40 degrees Celsius at the outlet) water from inside Mt. Hibok-Hibok. Very nice on rainy days or in the evenings.

Sto Niño Cold Spring - In Catarman a swimming pool is build and is fed by a cold spring. This is a popular place for locals in the weekends.

Agohoy Beach - Seven km from Agoho, Agohoy has native cottages, motorized pumpboats for hire, and a camping area for Mt. Hibok-Hibok climbers.

Ruins of Gui-ob Church and sunken cemetery- This is all that remains of the Spanish church that has been destroyed by the Vulcan Daan eruption in 1871. A huge cross (installed in 1982 as a marker) 16 km from here marks the community cemetery sunk to the sea by the same eruption. The Catarman Museum houses the artifacts and relics of the Spanish era.


Where to stay

I only give you one option because this is a must for every traveler to Camiguin Island: Tarzan's Nest Resort & Restaurant.

Tarzan's Nest is situated in Mambajao.

The owner, Ben (nickname Tarzan) has build this resort a few years ago and he is still improving the resort. It's art in it's purest form. Amazing how it looks like. The resort is build around a huge tree and on the top floor you have a small bar with a great view! It's all very basic but so comfortable and well thought. When people take a tour around the island some stop at his resort just to see the place!

The food is maybe even more exceptional. Ben is a vegetarian

Jade Vine

Strongylodon macrobotrys is the tropical evergreen Jade Vine native to the Philippines in their humid rain forests. Jade Vine has a thick woody growth that twines around anything upright and has large attractive leaves as well. The Jade Vine can reach over 60 feet

Blooms are in spring and summer. Here blooms are forming. Then, more advanced but not 100%

Folks delight in the spectacular racemes (bloom clusters). Here are some in hand

Clusters can hang from 3 to 5 feet in just one cluster alone. The unique aquamarine-jade color is highly appealing and not seen in other plants

Neutral to acid soil is best. Plant outdoors in full sun in frost-free areas. Be certain of good moisture during the warm months


Medinilla magnifica in Foreign botanical gardens


Medinilla magnifica
This plant is known as kapa-kapa in local Philippine dialects







pictures from NTgerald of Orchidtalk forum
Vanda roeblingiana
Named by Rolfe after Charles Roebling, in 1894. Endemic to the mountain provinces of the island of Luzon.

Another endangered species


Animal Info - Tamaraw
(Other Names: 明多罗水牛, 菲律賓水牛, タマラオ, Búfalo de Mindoro, Dwarf Water Buffalo, Mindorobüffel, Tamarao, Tamarau, Tamarou)
Bubalus mindorensis (Anoa m.)
Status: Critically Endangered

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Contents
1. Profile (Picture)
2. Tidbits
3. Status and Trends (IUCN Status, Countries Where Currently Found, Population Estimates, History of Distribution, Threats and Reasons for Decline)
4. Data on Biology and Ecology (Weight, Habitat, Gestation Period, Diet, Behavior, Social Organization)
5. References


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Profile
Pictures: Tamaraw #1 (35 Kb GIF) (Phil. Sust. Dev. Net. Inc.); Tamaraw #2 (22 Kb JPEG) (Field Museum)

The tamaraw is a small wild buffalo weighing about 300 kg (660 lb). It lives in dense forest with open glades for grazing, such as are created by fires or landslides. At one time it was found from sea level to 2000 m (6600'). It also prefers to be close to water for wallowing. The tamaraw feeds on grasses, bamboo shoots and aquatic vegetation. Its small size and great strength enables it to push through dense jungle and climb steep mountains. Tamaraw apparently associate in pairs, rather than herds, except when the cows are about to give birth.

The tamaraw was first documented by Western science in 1888. It has never been recorded from any area other than the island of Mindoro (Philippines). Prior to about 1900, most people had avoided settling on Mindoro, since it harbored a particularly virulent strain of malaria. Thus human impact on the tamaraw had been slight. At one time the tamaraw lived throughout most of the island. With the advent of anti-malarial medicines near the turn of the century, Mindoro became more accessible to human settlement. Since that time, the tamaraw's population has been reduced from abundance to a critically low level. By 1966 its range had been reduced almost entirely to 3 principal areas: Mt. Iglit, Mt. Calavite, and the vicinity of the Sablayon Penal Settlement. By 2000, reports suggested that tamaraw were restricted to just 2 areas: the Iglit Ranges, in Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park, and Aruyan, with very few data about numbers in either site.

The tamaraw has declined mainly because of hunting, especially after the introduction of modern firearms after WWII and the Vietnam war; and habitat loss, due to settlement, logging and ranching, after malaria was brought under control around 1900. Disease (rinderpest) caught from domestic cattle introduced to the island in the 1930's has also had a serious impact.



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Tidbits
*** The tamaraw is one of the world's rarest mammals.

*** Natives of Mindoro feared the tamaraw because of its aggressiveness.

*** Hunters with automatic weapons flew to Mindoro from Manila in helicopters during the 1960's and 1970's to pursue the tamaraw.


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Status and Trends
IUCN Status:
1960's - 1994: Endangered
1996: Endangered (Criteria: B1+2c, D1)
2000 - 2004: Critically Endangered (Criteria: C1) (Population Trend: Decreasing) (IUCN 2004)
Countries Where the Tamaraw Is Currently Found:
2004: Occurs in the Philippines (Mindoro). (IUCN 2004)

Population Estimates:
[Note: Figures given are for wild populations only.]

WORLD (Philippines - Island of Mindoro)
1900: 10,000 (Kuehn 1977)
1949: 1000 (Kuehn 1977)
1953: Fewer than 250 (Kuehn 1977)
1969: 100 (IUCN 1969)
1975: 120 (Oryx 1989d)
Mid-1970's: 200 - 280 plus (Burton & Pearson 1987)
1983: 150 - 200 (Nowak & Paradiso 1983)
1987: 369+ (Oryx 1989d)
1995: 3 - 400 (de Leon 1995)
1998: "there is no reason to believe that the number has increased since the 175 counted in 1983" (Heaney and Regalado 1998)
2000: Thought to be about 30 - 200 (IUCN 2000)
2004: Thought to be about 30 - 200 (IUCN 2004)
History of Distribution:
The tamaraw was first documented by Western science in 1888. It has never been recorded from any area other than the island of Mindoro (Philippines). Prior to about 1900, most people had avoided settling on Mindoro, since it harbored a particularly virulent strain of malaria. Thus human impact on the tamaraw had been slight. At one time the tamaraw lived throughout most of the island, from forest at sea level up to 2000 m (6600'). With the advent of anti-malarial medicines near the turn of the century, Mindoro became more accessible to human settlement. Since that time, the tamaraw's population has been reduced from abundance to a critically low level. By 1966 its range had been reduced almost entirely to 3 principal areas: Mt. Iglit, Mt. Calavite, and the vicinity of the Sablayon Penal Settlement. By 2000, reports suggested that tamaraw were restricted to just 2 areas: the Iglit Ranges, in Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park, and Aruyan, with very few data about numbers in either site (IUCN 2004).

Distribution Map #1 (8 Kb GIF) (Huffman 2004)
Distribution Map #2 (28 Kb JPEG) (Spec. Cons. Found.)

Threats and Reasons for Decline:
The tamaraw has declined mainly because of hunting, especially after the introduction of modern firearms after WWII and the Vietnam war; and habitat loss due to settlement, logging and ranching. Once malaria was brought under control around 1900, loggers moved in and cut the prime trees from lowland rain forest, plantation owners brought in laborers and their families to clear the lowlands for sugar cane and other crops, and subsistence farmers from Luzon and other densely populated places moved to Mindoro in search of farmland. (Heaney and Regalado 1998) Disease (rinderpest) caught from domestic cattle introduced to the island in the 1930's has also had a serious impact.


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Data on Biology and Ecology
Weight:
The tamaraw weighs up to 300 kg (660 lb).

Habitat:
The tamaraw lives in dense forest with open glades for grazing, such as are created by fires or landslides. At one time it was found from sea level to 2000 m (6600'). It also prefers to be close to water for wallowing.

The tamaraw is one of the species that live in both the Philippines Biodiversity Hotspot (Cons. Intl. 2005) and the Philippines Moist Forests Global 200 Ecoregion. (Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999)

Gestation Period:
276 - 315 days.

Diet:

The tamaraw feeds on grasses, bamboo shoots and aquatic vegetation.

Behavior:
The tamaraw's small size and great strength enables it to push through dense jungle and climb steep mountains.

Social Organization:
The tamaraw apparently associates in pairs, rather than herds, except when the cows are about to give birth.

Here is the animal being depicted in Philippine stamps 2004 WWF series

New Rafflesia species found in the Country :


Rafflesia manilliana



Rafflesia mira


Rafflesia from Iriga in Bikol region


Rafflesia speciosa from Antique

Here is the link :Haribon- Philippines

It is always nice to hear that some new species being discovered somewhere in this planet. This is in contrast with what we have been hearing all the time that this and that species is on the verge of extintion. There are thousands of other species to be found somewhere in the world, hope the researchers will be continuing their good job. Now the government needs to take steps to protect the habitats of these species. Deforestation must be strictly controlled and those who fault the law be severely dealth with.

amazing!

bago ba? kc palagi kaming humuhuli nito at itinitinda nong nasa pilipinas pa kami

kaya protect our wildlife. sali tayo ng greenpeace.

i support the conservation of our forest habitat. that is why i want every province to have a national park. the purpose is to provide a sanctuary for the native species to co-exist with humans. and to strictly implement the law that would prevent people from building settlements on these land. i am also very much against mining. we should learn our lesson from what happened in marinduque (marcopper). protect those we can still protect and let us fight for it. this is our home, our paradise, let us not permit anyone to destroy it.

remember the 3R, reduce, re-use, recycle. minimize your waste, segregate it, re-use it or recycle it. we do not throw papers away (except toilet paper) we sell it for recycling. we also sold all the plastics we have, plastic bags, plastic bottles, palstic containers and glass bottles/containers too, we sell metal cans also and even our car was sold as junk and earn us more than selling it as 2nd hand car. there is money and wealth in garbage.

pinoyako,

marami ding ganyan sa amin dito sa visayas pero and pinagkaiba nila ay yung bughaw na kulay, hindi kasi ganun karami ang bughaw na kulay na makikita mo sa buntot ng mga colasisi dito. dami na rin kasi akong naalagaan na colasisi nuon ibaiba ang kalse ng colasisi. may mga halos green lang lahat, meron naman may konting blue sa buntot tapos may orage o red sa ulo. meron namang may red sa ulo at sa leeg at konting blue sa buntot. basta iba0iba. may mga medyo slender at mahaba ang leeg, meron namang parang mga unano na stocky at hindi mahaba ang leeg. pero isa lang ang pagkakapareho nila. sila ay natutulog na parang mga paniki. at kapag nakalimutan ko silang pakainin. nakita ko nalang sila kinabukasan kapag pinapakain ko na sila na nagpakamatay sila sa harap ko, yung bigla nalang iikot nila ang kanilang ulo tapos mamamatay sa harap mo. pagkatapos ng mga 3-4 times na nangyari yun, medyo napukaw ang aking damdamin na hindi na ako mag-aalaga ng ibon na nakakulong, dahil sabi ko sa sarili ko, mas magandang tingnan ang ibong malayang lumilipad at mas maganda ang huni ng isang ibong malaya. kaya simula nuon sinusuportahan ko na ang protection ng bawat species at upang hindi na sila hulihin hindi na ako bumibili ng kahit anong hayop upang ikulong at gawing alaga.

pinipriti namin nyan sarap

hehehe masarap nga pero kung maubos na sila taps na ang sarap wala kanang masarap na makakain. kaya paramihin nalang muna natin. pag marami na sila, kainin mo kahit ilan gusto mo.

cool. i find this stimulating......
there is still so much to be discovered