FLORA FAUNA

In the 2000 Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

(1) 418 of the countrys 52,177 species were listed a threatened.

(2) The country is home to about 9,000 species of flora, a third of which is
said to be endemic to the country.

(3) It hosts 165 species of mammals, 121 of which can be found only in
this part of the world. However, these are critically endangered. (4) There
are also 332 species of reptiles and amphibians living in the country, 215
of them are endemic to the archipelago.

(5) It is said that less than 14 of the 114 total species of snakes in the
country are poisonous.

(6)Several species of frogs and other reptiles remain to be documented.

Several species were believed to have vanished without being studied.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR), the country's total forest size dwindled to 6.7 million hectares in
1990 from 30 million hectares in 1930. At the same time, the forest-to-
man ratio shrank to 0.1 hectare per Filipino in 1990 from 1.13 hectares
per Filipino in 1930. By 1996, experts claimed that only 1.8 million to 2.4
million hectares or 6 to 8 percent of original vegetation were remaining.
FAUNA

The Philippines may be a small country compared to other

countries in the world. But despite its size, the Philippines has a rich
biodiversity. In fact, there are many plant and animals species that are
only found here. The Philippines has among the highest rates of discovery
in the world with sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last
ten years. Because of this, the rate of endemism for the Philippines has
risen and likely will continue to rise.

Worlds Largest Clam

It is considered to be the largest clam in the world, and inside it is the

largest pearl named The Pearl of Lao Tzu. What is interesting is not the
shell, but the pearl. It weighs 14 pounds and measures 9.5 inches long and
5.5 inches in diameter. It was valued $42million, and it is believed to be
600 years of age.
 Endangered Dwarf Buffalo

It is a dwarf buffalo which is only found in the Island Of Palawan. It looks

like a normal water buffalo but it is quite smaller. People used to call
Mindoro as the Land of the Tamaraws. About 10,000 heads of these
unique pygmy water buffalos were roaming around the island-province of
Mindoro in the 1900s. But that was a century ago. Today, the Tamaraws
in the province are in danger of extinction, and Mindoro might lose the
symbol that it once proudly introduced to the world.

Pandaka pygmaea

The dwarf goby (the smallest freshwater fish) measures 1.2 centimeters
or less than half of an inch, the tiniest known vertebrate. American
Ichthyologist Albert Herre first discovered it in Malabon River in 1925. The
Philippines is also the home of sinarapan, the worlds smallest
commercial fish. Sinarapan, scientifically known as Mistichthys
luzonensis, is a goby found only in Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur
province.

BOVIDAE

-are the biological family of cloven hoofed. Ruminant mammals

that includes bison, African buffalo, antelopes, sheeps, goats, muskoxen,
and domestic cattles. A member of this family is called a bovid.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bubalus mindorensis

COMMON NAME: Tamaraw

DEER

-are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The

two main groups are the Cernivae, including the muntjac, the
fallow deer and the chital, and the Capreolinae, including the
elk, reindeer, the western roe deer, and the moose.

SCINTIFIC NAME: Cervidae / Cervus Alfredi

COMMON NAME: Visayanspotted deer

MURIDS

-are the largest family of the rodents and of mammals, containing

over 700 species found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa , and
Australia. The name muridae comes from the Latin mus, meaning
mouse

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Muridae / Cratenomys Australis

COMMON NAME: Dinagat hairy-tailed cloud rat

HOGS AND PIGS

- Is a family of artiodactl mammals commonly called pigs, hogs, or

boars. In addition to numerous fossils species, up to sixteen
extant species are currentlyrecognized, classified into between
fourand eight genera.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sus cebifrons

COMMON NAME: visayan warty pig

HORNBILL

- Is a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, and

Melanesa. They are characterize by a long, down-curved bill
which is frequently brightly colored and sometimes has a casque
on the upper mandible.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bucerotidae/ Aseros waldeni

COMMON NAME: Waldens hornbill

CRANE

- Are a family, gruidae, a large, long-legged and long neced birds

in the group Gruiformes. There are fifteen species in crane in
four genera.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Grus antigone

COMMON NAME: Sarus crane

GEOEMYDIDAE

- Are the one of the largest and most diverse families in the order
Testudines, with about 70 species. The family includes the
Eurasian pond and river turtles and Neotropical wood turtles.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Heosemys leytensiis

COMMON NAME: Philippine pond turtle

 CROCODILES

- Family of crocodylians includes the true crocodiles which are the

members of thesubfamily Crocodylinae and theTomistoma
genus.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Crocodylus mindorensis

COMMON NAME: Philippine crocodile

OLD WORLD FLYCATCHER

- Are a large family, of small passerine birds mostly restricted to

the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores,
many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rhinomyias albigularis

COMMON NAME: White-throated jungle flycatcher

TRUE FROG

- Have the wildest distribution of any frog family. They are

abundant throughout most of the world, occurring on all
continents except Antartica.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ranidae/ Platymantis negrosensis

COMMON NAME: Negros forest treen frog

Mindanao pygmy fruit bat

The Mindanao Pygmy Fruit Bat (Alionycteris

paucidentata) is a species of megabat in the
Pteropodidae family. It is monotypic within the
genus Alionycteris.[citation needed] It is endemic to
the Philippines. Its natural habitat is
subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is
threatened by habitat loss.

Large Mindoro forest mouse

The large Mindoro forest mouse (Apomys

gracilirostris) is a species of rodent in the family
Muridae, from the genus Apomys. It is found only
in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical
or tropical moist montane forests. It is a large
mouse with large feet, a long tail and an elongated snout which is
morphologically unique within its genus. It is covered in soft fur which is
mostly dark brown in colour. Its closest relative is thought to be the Luzon
montane forest mouse, based on genetic and morphological similarities.
FLORA

- The Philippines, a tropical country located in Southeast Asia, is

blessed with beautifully diverse and colorful water creatures, insects and
unique flowering plants. Here are some of the most beautiful and unique
plants that youll find only in the Philippines.

BENGUET PINE

- Is one of the most widely distributed pine in Asia. Its range

extend south and east from the Khasi hills in the Northeast
Indian state. It is an important plantation species elsewhere in
the world.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pinus kesiya

COMMON NAME: Khasi pine

DIPTEROCARPACEAE

SCIENTIFIC NAME: HOPEA PHILIPPINENSIS DYER

COMMON NAME: GISOK-GISOK

 Unique Plants of El Nido

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hoya el-nidicus

Plant collected in El Nido by the late Prof. Juan Pancho and described as a
new species in 1991. So far known only from the

Islands of Palawan, including El Nido and Coron

Tacca leontopetaloides

This plant can usually be found growing in the beach and in limestone

crevices. The tubers of this plant can be eaten in case you are stranded
on an

Island.
 Nepenthes philippinensis

This pitcher plant can be found in Snake Island. Pitcher plants have
enzymes that break down animal protein such

as those found in insects. This strange-looking plant is not a colorful toilet

bowl. It is scientifically called Nepenthes peltata, a tropical pitcher plant
that can be found only from the upper slopes of Mount Hamiguitan,
Mindanao in southern Philippines. The plant is characterized by a peltate
tendril attachment and conspicuous indumentum.

Xanthostemon speciosus

This tree is locally known as mangkono.

It yields hard, heavy wood but it grows very slowly.

It is usually found in areas

where the soil is rich in nickel and other heavy metals that are harmful to
other plants.

Mucuna sp.

This clambering vine can be found In Big and Small Lagoon in Miniloc
Island. The fruits possess stinging,

irritating hairs that when it comes into skin contact, produce an itch
similar

to that of being stung by the hairs of a caterpillar.

 Paphiopedilum fowliei

This beautiful and uniquely shaped flower is from Paphiopedilum fowliei,

a species of plant in the Orchidaceae family. It is native to the beautiful
island of Palawan, Philippines last frontier. This species which is
threatened by loss of habitat inhabits tropical and subtropical forests.

Medinilla magnifica

Commonly called rose grape belonging to the family of plants called

Melastomataceae Juss., this shrub is a stunning flower endemic to the
Philippines. It is usually found in high altitudes growing up to 6 feet. The
shrub has either ribbed or winged stem and glossy green leaves with
conspicuously pale veins. The flowers are breathtaking growing as a
bunch of small pink clusters attached to large pink bracts sheltered by its
curved leaves.

Strongylodon elmeri

Endemic in the thick forests of the country, this specie along with its more
famous cousin Strongylodon macrobotrys (jade vine) are arguably the
most beautiful flowers in the world. Strongylodon elmeri is a perennial
climbing shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae. The flowers hang in
bunches up to 90 cm and each with a spectacular clawlike shape
measures up 7.5 cm. Bats usually pollinate these flowers.
 Amyema incarnatiflora

Belonging to the family of Lorantacae, this particular specie calls the

mountainous region of Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte as well as the
thick jungles of Cagayan province as its home. The bunch of slender pink
flowers is a beauty forming a shape of a half open parasol.

Xanthostemon fructicosus

Belonging to the family called Myrtaceae, this specie can call 3,000 other
species as its close kin; many of them grow in Australia as well as in
Mediterranean and America. This particular specie can be set apart,
however, by its spectacular foliage that comes in red bunches of
individual actinomorphous (spreading symmetrically) flowers.
 Plumiera acuminata

Generally found in the tropics, Plumiera acuminate (sometimes known as

Plumeria rubra and Plumeria acutifolia) is specie of Frangipani otherwise
locally known as kalachuchi. Frangipanis are known to have eight (8)
species found in tropical Americas; South and Southeast Asia and the
Pacific Islands. With white and yellow colors, Plumiera acuminata is more
closely identified with the common frangipanis. The flowers are very
fragrant and a source of scent for perfumes. They have no nectars but
scent lure potential pollinators that would go from flower to flower
searching for food in vain but transferring the pollens in the process.

Pahiopedilum adductum

A member of the Orchidaceae family and is endemic to the Philippines.

Usually found in tropical moist lowland forest, the scientific name is
derived from the fact that it belongs to the family of orchids and that the
shape of its staminode (vestigial stamen) is severely adducted that is
severely bent backwards.