Wildlife of the Philipppines

[Steve.r]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4458733/Tarsier-jumps-to-attack-grasshopper.html

[grahamw48]

Why didn't he use his Light-Sabre ? :Erm:

.
6708

[lastlid]

Lunch on the hop, Tarsier has....

[lastlid]

BBC News and video on the Tarsiers in Bohol


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8663395.stm

[Terpe]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4458733/Tarsier-jumps-to-attack-grasshopper.html

Amazing photo ! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Wonder how many images he got all told when using that 11 frames per second :Erm:

[grahamw48]

Initially I was a bit concerned about the 'asshopper' in the link. :D

[Terpe]

Initially I was a bit concerned about the 'asshopper' in the link. :D

Made me laugh too. :icon_lol::icon_lol:

[Doc Alan]

These are great photos of this cute primate :xxgrinning--00xx3:! Philippines tarsiers are thought to have been around for about 45 million years, endemic to Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. They have many interesting features, although still not fully understood, and one of the country’s threatened species.
• Similar to but more primitive than a monkey.
• Nocturnal, should not be disturbed during the day.
• Main diet is insects.
• Huge eyes, bigger than their brains, which can’t move in their sockets, but head can rotate up to 180 degrees. They don’t have structures at the back which normally reflect light, making them hard to see at night.
• Only several hundred are thought to remain on Bohol, or elsewhere in the Philippines.
• Solitary, unsuitable for pets, now specially protected ( hunting, smuggling, killing, and stuffing illegal ).
• Other threats include loss of habitat such as forests and cats.

• There is a Tarsier Sanctuary between Corella and Sikatuna in Bohol, north east of Tagbilaran. ( http://www.tarsierfoundation.org/the-sanctuary
This is a private sector initiative supported by the Departments of Tourism and Environment and Natural Resources.
• More information here http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Tarsier
• Photo taken last November :-

http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj517/DocAlan/TarsierCenter9.jpg

[lastlid]

These are great photos of this cute primate :xxgrinning--00xx3:! Philippines tarsiers are thought to have been around for about 45 million years, endemic to Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. They have many interesting features, although still not fully understood, and one of the country’s threatened species.
• Similar to but more primitive than a monkey.
• Nocturnal, should not be disturbed during the day.
• Main diet is insects.
• Huge eyes, bigger than their brains, which can’t move in their sockets, but head can rotate up to 180 degrees. They don’t have structures at the back which normally reflect light, making them hard to see at night.
• Only several hundred are thought to remain on Bohol, or elsewhere in the Philippines.
• Solitary, unsuitable for pets, now specially protected ( hunting, smuggling, killing, and stuffing illegal ).
• Other threats include loss of habitat such as forests and cats.

• There is a Tarsier Sanctuary between Corella and Sikatuna in Bohol, north east of Tagbilaran. ( http://www.tarsierfoundation.org/the-sanctuary
This is a private sector initiative supported by the Departments of Tourism and Environment and Natural Resources.
• More information here http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Tarsier
• Photo taken last November :-



I understand that there are so few of these creatures kicking around. Several hundred is not very many. And largely associated with deforestation - its habitat. And the shame of it is that it is by no means the only creature in that position in the Philippines.

[CBM]

I wish I could feel even slightly optimistic about the wildlife of the Philippines.

Zoologically, the Philippines is interesting; it is the only land mass where the top predator is not a mammal but a bird, the monkey eating eagle, or Philippine eagle, whose main diet is indeed monkeys. These are now very, very scarce.

I have seen the colony of giant fruit bats in the forest at Subic being harried by tourists, mainly Filipino but also Chinese and Korean, who repeatedly make loud noises to disturb the bats in the day time, just so they can see them fly round. The disturbance has forced them to move roosts more than once; the last remaining colony is now in the forest near Cubi.

[lastlid]

I wish I could feel even slightly optimistic about the wildlife of the Philippines.

Zoologically, the Philippines is interesting......

Yes, very interesting. But is the situation reversible? There's a bunch of laws in place but as I understand it the law isn't applied too stringently. (Though somebody did get penalised for shooting one of those eagles recently).

[CBM]

Well, I think we would both come up with the same answer:

Unless the pressure of population on land resources is eased, wildlife and natural habitats stand no chance. The pressure of population will only begin to happen once the RH Bill is passed, if it ever is.

That is before we go on to consider the non-application of the laws in place. Wildlife has no "big shots" protecting it; worse than that, most people who grew up in villages will remember going round with catapults, etc, casually killing birds, just as the British did a hundred years ago. The idea that they could be causing harm does not occur to them.

Dedicated nature reserves fare no better.

I've seen the Subic Bat rainforest, the last stand of virgin rainforest in Luzon, preserved by the Americans for junge warfare training, being steadily destroyed by SMBA administrations who (a) always need money, because the last lot always emptied the tills and (b) don't have any understanding of ecology , to the point where once abundant wildlife is now scarce.

I don't hold out any hope.

[lastlid]

Well, I think we would both come up with the same answer:

Unless the pressure of population on land resources is eased, wildlife and natural habitats stand no chance. The pressure of population will only begin to happen once the RH Bill is passed, if it ever is.

That is before we go on to consider the non-application of the laws in place. Wildlife has no "big shots" protecting it; worse than that, most people who grew up in villages will remember going round with catapults, etc, casually killing birds, just as the British did a hundred years ago. The idea that they could be causing harm does not occur to them.

Dedicated nature reserves fare no better.

I've seen the Subic Bat rainforest, the last stand of virgin rainforest in Luzon, preserved by the Americans for junge warfare training, being steadily destroyed by SMBA administrations who (a) always need money, because the last lot always emptied the tills and (b) don't have any understanding of ecology , to the point where once abundant wildlife is now scarce.

I don't hold out any hope.

How big do the big shots have to be to do that? Do you think something like the Oposa v Factoran case counts for nothing?

[lastlid]

...... most people who grew up in villages will remember going round with catapults, etc, casually killing birds, just as the British did a hundred years ago.

Britain even 50 years ago is often a much overlooked point in many discussions I notice...

[CBM]

It's a magnificent ruling, one cited around the world, but I am sorry to see a huge palabas being made about SM cutting down 170 (?) trees in Baguio whilst elsewere deforestation carries on as usual.

It was a Phiilippines national newspaper that carried the headline:

"Senate acts to ban illegal logging" :doh

Good (long!!) article, here:

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/X6967E/x6967e07.htm

sample quote:

The effects of selected logging bans have been mixed and highly variable. The imposition of logging bans in most of the provinces, and the subsequent cancellation, non-renewal and suspension of logging activities, generally turned forestlands into open access areas (Fernandez et al. 1989; Bautista 1994; Lopez-Gonzaga 1995; Carandang et al. 1996; Ronquillo-Manila and Gallego 1992). This invited the entry of illegal cutters in response to the increasing demand for forest products. More than half of the cancelled TLA areas were completely destroyed (18 out of the 32 areas surveyed) despite the easing of social unrest (Fernandez et al. 1989). Imposing logging bans causes more damage to the environment because illegal cutters extract forest products without long-term interests or accountability (de los Angeles and Oliva 1996). Logging bans burden the Government with more forest protection efforts that are not as effective as those provided by land holders (Mickelwait et al. 1999).

Logging bans eliminated revenues from logging charges that the Government would otherwise collect. Assuming that 50 percent of the annual demand of 5 million m3 come from illegally harvested logs at an average forest charge of P500/m3, the Government losses amounted to about 1.25 billion pesos. Logging bans encourage illegal logging, which causes market imperfections and imbalances in the local prices for forest products. Logging bans also encourage illicit alliances among financiers, illegal cutters, the military, and DENR field personnel. For example, the imposition of the commercial logging ban in Nueva Vizcaya spawned the growth of a small-scale furniture industry that thrived on wood supplies from small-scale illegal loggers (Bautista 1994). In summary, logging bans do not guarantee forest conservation as long as domestic demand is strong and access to the forestland is open.

[CBM]

Britain even 50 years ago is often a much overlooked point in many discussions I notice...

Very true. In many respects!

Come to think of it, whilst gthe nine year old me knew that taking birds eggs was wrong, I did have a catapault - think they were banned about then.

[Steve.r]

Seen those big fruit bats at 100 Islands too

[lastlid]

Well, as a young proactive Filipina recently said, it will only be the Philippine people that will pull themselves out of this. Perhaps it will come with increased awareness and education and also RH Bill permitting.

[lastlid]

Diet
"They eat primarily figs, though will take other fruit if figs are unavailable. They have been reported to eat cultivated fruit, but this is relatively rare. Other fruits that may be eaten include: puhutan, lamio, tangisang, bayawak, bankal and strangler figs.[6] Known as "The Silent Planter", they release seeds in their droppings, often while flying. This helps maintain the Philippine rainforest." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_golden-crowned_flying_fox
I see that these creatures, aswell as being large :omg: also play a role in maintaining the rain forest.

[CBM]

Seen those big fruit bats at 100 Islands too

I love them. Not at all scary - they are vegetarians!

Unlike other bats they don't echo-locate - they use their eyes.

But the species - acerodon jubilatus - is unique to the Philippines and is endangered:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Golden_crowned_fruit_bat.jpg

[CBM]

Well, as a young proactive Filipina recently said, it will only be the Philippine people that will pull themselves out of this. Perhaps it will come with increased awareness and education and also RH Bill permitting.

Well, I have two or three middle aged male Filipino friends who say the same thing, and are doing their bit. Trouble is, there is so much to be done, and so little in the way of resources or time to do it with.

[lastlid]

Well, I have two or three middle aged male Filipino friends who say the same thing, and are doing their bit. Trouble is, there is so much to be done, and so little in the way of resources or time to do it with.

I see.

My wife knows this Oposa chap. Like you say, the ruling has been cited globally. He was at our wedding reception. :D As far as I can see he is a good man. It would seem that it will take a lot more of a concerted effort to get the necessary work done.

[CBM]

One game my friends play is posting pictures of illegal logging activities, with evidence of the location, on Facebook... it might be a good way to get shot...

[lastlid]

One game my friends play is posting pictures of illegal logging activities, with evidence of the location, on Facebook... it might be a good way to get shot...

Who, your friends or the perpetrators? Presumably you mean your friends.....in the case of Oposa his friend and colleague got shot for trying to tackle perpetrators directly. He was warned that he would be next...

[Doc Alan]

Steve has started an interesting thread here, and it’s perhaps not off topic, considering the title, to include other flora and fauna of the Philippines.
• The vast majority of species ( all living things, including plants, fungi, and single-celled organisms) which ever existed in the world may well now be extinct. Species do evolve and change over time, whether through natural selection, or processes – natural or otherwise – which may be too rapid for evolution, so they become extinct.

• The Philippines has abundant flora and fauna, many endemic to the country.
• More than 40 species are now “critically endangered”
( no more than 5,000 surviving ), and some face extinction.
• There may be more than 400 endangered animals, all illegal to poach.

• Poaching may be illegal for various reasons - breeding season, private land, bait considered inhumane, protected by law, hunting from a moving vehicle or aircraft, plant or animal listed as endangered.
• Poaching and over-hunting affects conservation efforts of environmentalists.
• Denudation of forests - illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming, and urbanization - is stripping flora and fauna of natural habitats and sanctuaries.


• These links may be of interest :-


• http://generalhowitzer.hubpages.com/hub/The-Philippine-Wildlife-or-Rare-Animals-in-the-Philippines

• http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Philippines/Wildlife/index.html

• http://mb.com.ph/node/358325/endangered-

I visited a butterfly conservation centre in Bohol last year ( http://boholconservation.com/simplybutterflies/
)


• Bohol, like much of the Philippines, has a great diversity of butterflies, becoming rarer each year. There are about 300 species of butterflies in Bohol, over half of those at Simply Butterflies Conservation Center.
• It’s founded on butterfly conservation principles - to protect and strengthen the natural environment of the butterflies, through plant research, breeding and releasing. The centre is helping to raise the butterfly population, and bring money into the local economy while doing so.
• Here is a sample of the photos I took :-)
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj517/DocAlan/SimplyButterflies9.jpg
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj517/DocAlan/SimplyButterflies8.jpg
http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj517/DocAlan/SimplyButterflies5.jpg

[lastlid]

Steve has started an interesting thread here, and it’s perhaps not off topic, considering the title, to include other flora and fauna of the Philippines.

Yes. And I suppose the flipside of this thread is some of you chaps have been lucky enough to see some of these exotic and rare creatures.

[grahamw48]

I had an interesting-looking snake enter the premises one night, but by the time the dog had finished with it there wasn't a lot left to identify. :cwm3:

Probably just as well because it was heading towards my aviaries.