Endangered Species

Hey fellow adventurers! It’s time for another not-so-fun but crucially important topic: endangered species. Maybe the Philippines doesn’t cross your mind when you think about endangered species, but the Philippines is one of the most biologically diverse places in the World. Between cutting down rain forests and hunting, more and more animals are being added to the endangered species list. I’m going to talk about the ten most endangered animals in the Philippines.

Philippine Crocodile

Level: Critically Endangered

Also known as the Mindoro crocodile, the Philippine crocodile is an endemic freshwater crocodile that live in the Philippines. In 2008, the Philippine crocodile was classified as critically endangered due to unsustainable fishing methods (such as dynamite fishing) and overhunting. Hunters kill these crocodiles to sell their hides which can be made into expensive accessories (purses, shoes, etc.). It is now punishable by law to kill a crocodile in the Philippines.

Mindoro Bleeding-Heart

Level: Critically Endangered

The Mindoro bleeding-heart is an endemic bird to the island of Mindoro in Philippines. This bird is named for the small, yet distinct, orange patch on its whitish breast. Little is known about the Mindoro bleeding-heart; it spends most of its life on the forest floor concealed in dense vegetation, making it difficult to observe. Its nest is made of sticks and leaves, lined with fine rootlets and tendrils and situated in a tree or shrub, three-six feet (one-two meters) above the ground. Some have found nests that have contained two pale cream-colored eggs. In 2007, the bleeding-heart was classified as critically endangered due to human activities (such as logging, cultivation and rattan collection), getting trapped and sold for domestic and export pet trade, and being hunted for food. The bleeding-heart’s habitat has been almost entirely eradicated, and deforestation is one of the biggest concerns for the birds remaining in the wild. The last recorded sighting of a bleeding-heart in the wild was in 1991.

Rufous-Headed Hornbill

Level: Critically Endangered

The rufous-headed hornbill is the World’s second most endangered hornbill. Originally found on the islands of Negros, Panay and Guimaras, this beautiful bird can now only be found on Negros and Panay due to massive deforestation. This hornbill is a social bird, preferring to remain in small groups of up to four individuals. Nests are normally built in high tree cavities, and aggressively guarded by the parents. Hornbills can lay up to two eggs in March. This hornbill prefers closed-canopy, evergreen forest; however, it is believed that only 9% of this forest is left on the islands they inhabit and only 10% of that is situated below 3,280 feet (1,000 meters), where they live. Poaching of females and chicks from nests for the bird trade or human food is now considered to be the greatest threat to the survival of the species. Conservation groups have been able to reduce poaching by 75%.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Level: Critically Endangered

Hawksbill sea turtles are found through the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They avoid deep waters, preferring coastlines where sponges are abundant and sandy nesting sites are within reach. Hawksbills grow up to about 45 inches in shell length and 150 pounds in weight. Hawksbills prefer to feed on sponges but will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Their hard shells protect them from many predators, but they still fall prey to large fish, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses, and humans. Hawksbills migrate to tropical beaches every 2 to 3 years to mate. They leave their eggs in pits they’ve dug, and the eggs will hatch in about 60 days. Once hatched, the baby turtles must make one of the most dangerous journeys of their lives. They must make their way from their nest to the sea while crabs and flocks of seagulls prey on them. They are endangered due to human activity (mostly hunting). They are often killed for their flesh and stunning shells. Hawksbills eggs are still consumed around the world, despite their internationally protected status. Sometimes fisherman accidentally catch these turtles in their fishing nets.

Red-Vented Cockatoo

Level: Critically Endangered

The red-vented cockatoo, found only in the Philippines, has the unusual ability to mimic the human voice. These cockatoos look for mates in October and lay eggs during the months of February-April typically laying 2-3 eggs at a time. Its diet consists of seeds, fruit, flowers and nectar. Individuals have been recorded flying over open sea to islands almost 5 miles (8 kilometers) off the mainland. Sometimes these birds like to travel alone and sometimes they like to travel in packs of up to 30 birds. The red-vented cockatoo prefers forests close to rivers or mangroves that are under 164 feet (50 meters). Despite its protections, the cockatoo is still being captured and sold into the pet trade. All nests outside of protected areas are being poached. Its habitat is being cleared for cultivation, urban development and mining. Farmers are killing them for encroaching on their land. Droughts and severe weather change have caused starvation and low reproductive success.

Philippine Forest Turtle

Level: Critically Endangered

The Philippine forest turtle is a freshwater turtle endemic to the Philippines. Due to its newly rediscovered status, little is known about the Philippine forest turtle. Due to the susceptibility of the species to stress and the extremely aggressive territorial behavior of male individuals, Philippine forest turtles do not do well in captivity. The biggest threats to the forest turtle are habitat loss and being captured for pet trade.

Philippine Naked-Backed Fruit Bat

Level: Critically Endangered

The Philippine naked-backed fruit back mostly lives on the island of Negros in the Philippines. These bats prefer to live in limestone caves in the forest. Until it was rediscovered in 2000, the bat was believed to be extinct. In the mid 1980’s many forests were converted into sugar plantations and the bats disappeared. If the few forests left get chopped down, the bats will go extinct. Thankfully, many of these forests are being protected. Another threat is the threat of these bats being hunted for meat due to their large size.

Visayan Warty Pig

Level: Critically Endangered

The Visayan warty pig is endemic to the Philippines. Visayan warty pigs tend to live in groups of four to six. The diet of the pig mainly consists of roots, tubers, and fruits that can be found in the forest, though they can also eat cultivated crops. Due to approximately 95% of their natural habitat being cleared by local farmers to plant crops, the propensity of the pigs to eat cultivated crops has risen dramatically. However, given the fact that this land generally is unproductive after a few years, food sources for the pig are severely limited. These pigs are threatened by habitat loss, a food shortage, and hunters. Many are hunted for their meat.

Tamaraw

Level: Critically Endangered

The tamaraw is endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. Despite its appearance, it’s not a subspecies of the water buffalo. Due to its small numbers and shy tendencies, little is known about the tamaraw. It prefers thick bush near open-canopied glades where it can feed on grass. The adult female tamaraw gives birth to one offspring after a gestation period of about 300 days. There is an interbirth interval of two years. The calf stays with its mother for 2–4 years before becoming independent. It’s a solitary creature that prefers to be alone. The tamaraw is endangered because of human habitation, hunting, and logging.

Philippine Eagle

Level: Critically Endangered

The Philippine eagle is the Philippine’s national bird. It has the largest wing span of extant eagles in the World. Juveniles in play behavior have been observed gripping knotholes in trees with their talons, and using their tails and wings for balance, inserting their heads into tree cavities. Additionally, they have been known to attack inanimate objects for practice, as well as attempt to hang upside down to work on their balance. As the parents are not nearby when this occurs, they apparently do not play a role in teaching the juvenile to hunt. Like most predators, the Philippine eagle is an opportunist that takes prey based on its local level of abundance and ease. Philippine eagles primarily use two hunting techniques. One is still-hunting, in which it watches for prey activity while sitting almost motionlessly on a branch near the canopy. The other is perch-hunting, which entails periodically gliding from one perch to another. While perch-hunting, they often work their way gradually down from the canopy on down the branches, and if not successful in finding prey in their initial foray, they fly or circle back up to the top of the trees to work them again. Like most eagles, the Philippine eagle is monogamous. Once paired, a couple remains together for the rest of their lives. If one dies, the remaining eagle often searches for a new mate to replace the one lost. The biggest threats to these eagles are deforestation through logging and expanding agriculture, poaching, mining, pollution, and exposure to pesticides that affect breeding. Killing a Philippine eagle is punishable under Philippine law by 12 years in prison and heavy fines.

If you want to read what you can do to help save endangered species, read this article: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/20-extraordinary-things-you-can-do-to-save-endangered-species.php. Or you can donate money to a charity dedicated to helping endangered species such as the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF): https://www.worldwildlife.org/. If everyone donated even just $1, that could make a huge difference. Or share this article and articles like this so more people become aware of this problem.

That’s it for today’s post. Thank you so much for reading my blog! Until our next adventure!