ENDEMIC SPECIES FOUND IN THE

ALBAY BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Prepared by:
Brian Kevin B. Bruselas, RChE, RChT
MSBEM Graduate Student

For:

MS Bio 261 Advanced Ecology

Faculty: Prof. Maria Karina Luth Discaya

1. Philippine Brown Deer

Photo by Gregg Yan

Scientific Name: Rusa marianna

Other Common Name: Philippine Deer, Philippine Sambar
Local Name: Ugsa, Usa
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List 2015)
Description:
This species is considered vulnerable. It is endemic to the Philippine Islands. Philippine
Brown Deer prefer the low grasslands that border the perimeter of the islands they inhabit.
But this species is often driven higher into the mountains to seek cover and evade hunting.
They occur at altitudes up to 3000 metres.
The Philippine Brown Deer or Philippine Sambar is similar in appearance and habits to
the other species of Sambar, and is obviously closely related to them. Some have
questioned whether the Philippine Deer should be considered as a separate species or as a
subspecies of one of the other Sambar species. It has the typical Sambar appearance,
having a thin slender body, long legs and a short head. However, it is smaller in size than
the other Sambar species and the antlers are much shorter. The coat is a dark brown color,
the under parts paler. The antlers of the males have 2 to 3 tines, and grow on average to
between 30 and 40 cm in length.
Humans probably introduced the Philippine Deer to some islands to provide a source of
food. This deer species is considered to be at risk due to a low total population. With that
said, most local populations are fairly stable. Like many deer in this part of the world, this
species may be under threat from over hunting and from habitat loss. The growing human
population of the Philippines will undoubtedly need more agricultural land in the future, and
this could provide a threat to the survival of this type of deer.
Source: worlddeer.org/philippine-deer/
2. Philippine Warty Pig

Photo by wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_warty_pig

Scientific Name: Sus philippensis

Local Name: baboy damo (bush pig)
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List 2017)
Description:
The robustly built Philippine warty pig has a coarse, bristly, blackish coat with a
scattering of silvery white hairs on the sides. Long, stiff hairs form a crest running down the
middle of the back, which is particularly conspicuous in males during the breeding season
when if forms a prominent mane over the head crest and neck. The medium-length tail has
a tuft of long, black hairs at the tip, used to swat away flies and signal mood. The Philippine
warty pig has a long snout, terminating in a flat, mobile disc with the nostrils in the centre.
The teeth are well-developed, with the large upper and lower canines forming laterally and
upwardly protruding tusks in males. It has relatively small eyes and ears, and its narrow feet
have four toes, but only the two central toes are used for walking.
Philippine warty pigs survive in most of the remaining forested areas on the larger
islands of the Philippines, but intense hunting pressure for its meat and extreme levels of
deforestation have resulted in it disappearing from large areas of its historical range, and
continue to threaten the remaining populations. These threats are being amplified by the
rapidly growing human population in the Philippines, and illegal clearance of forest for
agriculture; the latter also leading to increased incidences of crop damage by wild pigs,
which will readily forage on cultivated corn, rice and cassava. Local farmers therefore
consider them to be a legitimate target for reprisal hunting, and may strongly resist any local
protection measures. Finally, hybridisation with free-ranging domestic pigs also threatens
the existence of the wild Philippine warty pig
Source: eol.org/pages/328326/articles
3. Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox

Photo by Gregg Yan

Scientific Name: Acerodon jubatus

Other Common Name: Golden-capped fruit bat
Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN Red List 2016)
Description:
The golden-crowned flying fox is a fruit-eating megabat found only in the Philippines. It is
one of the planet’s largest bat species, with a wingspan up to 5 feet 6 inches long and a
weight of up to 2.6 pounds.
The eating habits of this flying frugivore play an essential role in the multiple forest
ecosystems in which it lives. As it eats fruits, primarily figs, it distributes their seeds all over
the forest, contributing to reforestation in the Philippines. It also will sometimes eat fruit
grown for agricultural use, but only if it is near undisturbed forests.
While the golden-crowned flying fox is one of the largest bat species in the world, it can
be incredibly hard to find, as habitat destruction and hunting have caused huge declines in
this species’ numbers in the past and continue to threaten its survival. Local communities
hunt bats for sale, sport and personal consumption. In addition, more than 90 percent of the
Philippines’ old-growth forests have been destroyed, and the species has completely
disappeared from several of its old roosting sites on multiple islands.
Source: www.batcon.org/article/goldencrowned-flying-fox/
4. Luzon Bleeding-heart

Photo by David Blank

Scientific Name: Gallicolumba luzonica

Other Common Names: Bleeding heart dove, Bleeding heart pigeon, Blood-breasted
pigeon, Luzon blood-breasted pigeon, Luzon puñalada
Local Name: Agbaan, Kulo-kulo, La-do, Manuk-manok
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List 2016)
Description:
The Luzon Bleeding Heart is endemic to the central and southern regions of Luzon and
the smaller offshore island Polillo. It inhabits lowland forest and spends the majority of its
time on the forest floor feeding. These birds roost and nest in low to medium height trees,
shrubbery and vines. They use the thick surrounding undergrowth to escape from predators.
They can be found from sea level to elevations of 1400 m.
It has a characteristic dark red patch on its breast that looks like a bleeding wound. Short
tailed and long legged; these exclusively terrestrial birds have light blue-gray wings and
heads with blackish bills. The wing coverts are marked with three dark red-brown bands.
Their throat, breast and under parts are white, lighter pink feathers surround the red patch
on the breast. Their legs and feet are red. These birds are not sexually dimorphic and the
sexes are difficult to tell apart. Some males do appear slightly larger with a broader head,
but most birds need to be sexed surgically to achieve reliable results. It weighs 184 g on
average and is 30 cm long. The average wingspan is 38 cm.
The native people in Luzon pose a great threat to this species by trapping the tame birds
for meat and for sale in the pet trade
Source: animaldiversity.org/accounts/Gallicolumba_luzonica/
5. Philippine Eagle-Owl

Photo by Marcel Holyoak

Scientific Name: Bubo philippensis

Local Name: Kuwago, Bukaw.
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List 2016)
Description:
Endemic to the Philippines, this eagle-owl is one of the largest owls in the world, with an
impressive wingspan of around 120 centimetres. The plumage is predominantly rufous
coloured, and this eagle-owl is characterised by small, outward-slanting ear tufts and huge
yellow eyes.The facial disc is rufous-buff, the upper throat is buff, and the head, breast and
upperparts are a tawny-rufous with conspicuous dark brown streaks. The wings and tail are
barred dark-brown and rufous-buff, while the lower breast and belly are whitish with bold
dark streaks. Calls involve a long series of bububububub sounds, fading away at the end,
and high-pitched screams.
Found amongst lowland forest, often near lakes and rivers, generally below 650 metres
but occasionally up to 1, 250 metres. The owl tolerates disturbed, selectively logged and
secondary forest and will also inhabit coconut plantations with patches of thick secondary
growth.
This species' population is small, fragmented, and undergoing a rapid decline due to
extensive lowland deforestation throughout its range and possibly hunting. By the end of the
nineteenth century large areas of the Philippines' forest had already been cleared for
agricultural expansion, which continued throughout the twentieth century. With relatively little
habitat remaining below 1,000 metres there is now considerable concern for this eagle-owl,
whose large size requires large tracts of forest to maintain populations. Hunting is a major
problem in the Philippines, with firearms widely available and 40 percent of the country's
threatened birds currently affected. The impact of hunting on the Philippine eagle-owl is not
known, but could be significant.
Source: eol.org/pages/1178262/articles
6. Philippine Cockatoo

Photo by PCSD

Scientific Name: Cacatua haematuropygia

Other Common Name: Red-vented cockatoo
Local Name: Katala, Abukay, Agay or Kalangay
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List 2017)
Description:
The endemic Philippine or Red-vented cockatoo is a small psittacine with a helmet crest
and red undertail coverts. The white plumage is extremely conspicuous in flight and in the
foliage of the lowland dipterocarp and mangrove forest habitats. It is 12.2 inches long and
has an 8.6 inches wingspan. The Katala as it is locally called is a social species which
roosts, feeds, and flies in noisy groups but during the mating season, from March to July,
pairs live apart from the flock, often reusing the same nesting tree year after year. It is a
favorite caged-bird because of its ability to mimic the human voice.
All known unprotected cockatoo nests are poached. Because of its unique
characteristics, the demand for the Philippine cockatoo is high. Trade to meet the domestic
demand is substantial and is very likely enough to endanger the remnant cockatoo
populations.
The cutting of mangroves and forest trees result to the loss of habitats particularly
nesting and food-providing trees for the Philippine cockatoo. Lowland forests are converted
for agriculture, mining or settling. Complete ecosystems, like freshwater swamp forests are
on the brink of extinction in the Philippines.
Source: philippinecockatoo.org/philippine%20cockatoo.htm
7. Luzon Fanged Frog

Photo by Merljin van Weerd

Scientific Name: Limnonectes macrocephalus

Other Common Name: Giant Philippine Frog
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (IUCN Red List 2017)
Description:
The Luzon Fanged Frog is a large stream frog that lives in the streams and waterfalls in
in moist tropical forest. Inside its mouth are two bony growths on its jaw that look like fangs.
Scientists aren’t sure what the purpose of the growths are, but they think it may help them
hold onto slippery fish and smaller frogs that they eat in the fast-moving streams where they
live.
Luzon Fanged Frogs are a frog that has sexual dimorophism. That means that the males
and the females look different. In this case, the males are much bigger,and have very big
heads.
The Luzon Fanged Frog is still common in many places, but it is losing its habitat due to
agriculture, logging, human settlements, and pollution. It is also killed too much for food in
some places. As a result, its populations appear to be declining.
The Luzon Fanged Frog is scientifically known as Limnonectes macrocephalus. It is a
member of the Ranid family, frogs which are known as “True Frogs” because they have the
most well-known frog shape.
Source: animalsoftanay.home.blog/2019/04/09/luzon-fanged-frog/
8. Luzon Forest Ground Frog

Photo by Brown, R. M. and Gonzalez, J. C. (2007)

Scientific Name: Platymantis diesmosi

Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN Red List 2018)
Remarks: Endemic to Mt. Malinao, Albay
Description:
Platymantis diesmosi is a species of frogs that was first described by Brown and
Gonzalez in 2007. Females have a snout-vent length of 49.8 to 52.7 mm (1.96 to 2.07 in),
while the corresponding measurement for males is 28.3 to 39.1 mm (1.11 to 1.54 in). It is
mainly dark brown and has irregular darker markings and/or minuscule white patches.
Specimens are sometimes almost totally black and brown with golden highlights. Golden
patches can be found on the head, and its limbs are mainly golden-brown. The throat colour
ranges from cream to dark brown, and the chest and stomach are also variably coloured,
from dark brown with white patches to cream.
It is endemic to Mt. Malinao, Albay. This species resides on cliff and ravine edges, up to
30-40 m away from water, in moist lower montane dipterocarp forest at 900-1,160m asl.
Threats to this species include the extensive slash-and-burn shifting agriculture and
selective logging (timber poaching) that were observed throughout mid-montane elevations
on Mt. Malinao, near the type locality. In 2001 disturbances reached 100m below the type
locality and presumably will continue upward. The forest is owned by a private geothermal
company. Mt. Malinao supplies the majority of fresh water to the municipality of Tiwi, so
disturbance of the fragile habitat will affect not only survival of Platymantis diesmosi but also
the availability of fresh water for people living in the Tiwi watershed. (Brown and Gonzalez
2007).
Source: amphibiaweb.org/species/6910 and Brown, R. M. and Gonzalez, J. C. (2007). ''A
new forest frog of the genus Platymantis (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) from the Bicol
Peninsula of Luzon Island, Philippines.'' Copeia, 2007, 251-266
9. Guenther’s Forest Frog

Photo by Thomas Brown

Scientific Name: Platymantis guentheri

Other Common Name: Gunther's Wrinkled Ground Frog
Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List 2020)
Description:
Platymantis guentheri is a small and slender terrestrial frog species. Most males attain
maturity at a snout-vent length of about 24 mm and females at about 27 mm. The dorsum is
more or less uniformly dark, lighter (grayish) with dark markings, with a narrow or broad
median light stripe, or with light dorso-lateral stripes. The venter is uniformly light or has
brown spots on the anterior abdomen or anterior abdomen and head, and the hind limbs
have dark crossbars.
P. guentheri occurs in the rainforests of the Philippines, at altitudes from sea level to 700
m. It occupies epiphytic ferns, and is also found in tree holes, tree trunks, and among duff of
the forest floor. It also survives in disturbed habitats adjacent to forested areas. It likely
occurs a little more widely than current records suggest, especially in areas between known
sites
It breeds by direct development and is believed to deposit its eggs in leaf axils,
epiphytes, and aerial ferns.
The major threat to this species is the loss of habitat due to shifting agriculture and the
logging of lowland rainforest. There is a decreasing population trend, although it can be
found frequently in humid forests. It occurs in a few protected areas, including Mount
Malindang National Park and Mount Apo Natural Park. However, the designation of the
remaining rainforests on the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, Bohol, and Dinagat as protected
areas, is needed.
Source: amphibiaweb.org/species/4894
10. Pygmy Tree Frog

Photo from wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_forest_frog

Scientific Name: Platymantis pygmaeus

Other Common Name: Banded Pygmy Tree Frog, Philippine Pygmy Forest Frog
Conservation Status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List 2018)
Description:
Platymantis pygmaeus is one of the smallest frogs known in the Philippines.
The size of adult male frogs ranges from 14 to 16 mm., about the size of a 10-centavo
coin. Female pygmy forest frogs are a little bigger by 2 to 3 mm.
This species and all other frogs belonging to the genus Platymantis are unique because
they do not go through the tadpole stage. Fertilized eggs develop into tiny frogs that grow
inside the nutrient-rich egg capsule.
Pygmy forest frogs live in lowlands and lower montane forests at elevations of near sea
level to around 800 meters. The tiny frogs make the forest floor their home, living in dense
undergrowth, under dead leaves and on forest floor litter.
Its vocalization is unlike any other frogs in the country. Because of their size, the call of
male frogs sounds like the buzzing of crickets.
The Philippines has at least 108 native species of frogs, 91 pf which are found only in
the Philippines and are threatened by habitat loss. The pygmy forest frog is found only in the
Philippines.
Source: pressreader.com
11. Baguatsa

Photo from binhi.ph

Scientific Name: Hopea philippinensis

Local Name in Albay: Malatamtam
Other Common Name: Gisok-gisok, Baguatsan, Gomerik-gitik, Pagakson bagupsan, Yakal
Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN Red List 2020)
Description:
Hopea philippinensis is a species of plant in the family Dipterocarpaceae. They have a
self-supporting growth form. They have simple, broad leaves.
Hopea philippinensis is a small tree. The bole is buttressed. Although somewhat on the
small size, the tree is still harvested commercially for its wood, which is used locally as a
source of 'merawan' timber. The wood is a heavy-grade merawan and is used in heavy
construction, but owing to the small size of the bole, locally it is used only for house posts
and temporary railway ties. The Hopea philippinensis are also good as windbreaks and
good for soil erosion control.
The tree is threatened by habitat destruction due to human activity. The plant is
classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2020).
Source: tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Hopea+philippinensis
12. Pitcher plant (Nepenthes ventricosa)

Photo by Alastair Robinson

Scientific Name: Nepenthes ventricosa

Common Name: Pitcher Plant
Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List 2018)
Description:
Nepenthes ventricosa, is a medium size, robust growing carnivorous tropical pitcher
plant with pretty red pitchers with wide openings and a pretty pink scalloped peristome
(collar). The lower traps are tubby, rounded and grow low to the ground. They have a
narrow waist and no wings. The lid is wide and red. Upper pitchers are smaller and yellow
green. It is quite adaptable, and common throughout the Philippines, growing in the open or
shade, among grasses and shrubs. It is heat and cold tolerant. It is quite good at catching
large insects, such as stink bugs, wasps and yellow jackets.
It is a great house plant, that can be grown outdoors in the warm weather with a minimal
transition period and is popular among plant traders although the collection and trade of
pitcher plants are prohibited under Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as the Wildlife
Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Source: carnivorousplantnursery.com/products/nepenthes-ventricosa