The fragmented islands, tropical location and extensive areas of rainforest in the Philippines caused high species diversity and high level endemism. Thus, making it a megadiverse country and is among the top priorities of global biological conservation. One-third of the more than 9,000 plants in the Philippines are endemic. The lowland and hill rain forest across the Philippines, which are mostly damaged now, were dominantly primary canopy trees which include food providing trees for bats, monkeys, and parrots. Over 530 bird species are found in the Philippines hotspot, 30% are endemic and 60% are endangered. There are seven identified endemic bird areas in the Philippines namely: Mindoro, Luzon, Negros and Panay, Cebu, Mindanao and the Eastern Visayas, Sulu, and Palawan. The Philippine Eagle, the second largest bird in the world, with the destruction of its habitat caused its population to decrease to less than 700 individuals. Captive breeding is unfortunately unsuccessful, leaving habitat protection the only way for its survival. 100 out of the 165 mammal species are endemic including the tamaraw, which has a population of 10000 individuals a century ago, now only has as few hundred live in the wild. 68% of thee reptiles in the Philippines are to be found only in those hotspots. A freshwater crocodile which has 500-1000 individuals in 1982 only has a hundred individuals now. There are about 90 amphibians, 260 freshwater and 21,000 insect species recorded.
Despite having an impressive level of species diversity, the Philippines is one of the world’s most threatened hotspots with only 7% of its original canopy forests left. With the growing population of the people in the Philippines, we become dependent to natural resources which includes the wide spread use of timber. Along with illegal logging activities, mining, quarrying and kaingin making also contributes to the destruction of the remaining primary forests. Introduction of invasive and exotic species has taken its toll on wetlands. Dynamite fishing, coral bleaching, over fishing and tourism also contributes to the disturbance of marine biodiversity.
Only 11% of the total land of the Philippines is protected. To ensure that the protected areas conserve the biodiversity is through the conservation of the key biodiversity areas. Proper research about the species is needed to support the conservation efforts. Also, a lot of organizations are helping in the protecting of the natural resources like the Haribon Foundation which takes the lead in caring for nature with people- for the people. There are also small things you can do to save the biodiversity hotspots, some of it are: remembering the 4Rs, eat less red meat, educate people about the threats to our nature and remember to plant a tree.
