Wildlife in the Philippines

Wildlife in the Philippines

The Philippines has one of the highest biodiversity on the planet. The country is surrounded by waters and dotted with lush tropical forests. It’s an abundant home to thousands of species. New discoveries are made continuously in the country resulting into a much bigger number of species and expected to increase in years to come. 

So to give tribute to the wildlife of the Philippines, here’s a rundown of some of the country’s endemic creatures found nowhere else in the world:

Philippine Eagle 

The Philippine Eagle also known as the Monkey-eating Eagle is one of the rarest and strongest birds in the world.  Stated as the Philippines’ national bird, the Philippine Eagle is found in the islands of eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. Due to deforestation, it has become one of the endangered species of the country – killing it would result to more than 10 years of imprisonment. 

Tarsier

Philippine Tarsiers are among the many highlights and most treasured wonders of the Philippines. Most of these nocturnal creatures are found in Bohol. You can expect to see these adorable creatures hanging on trees in slumber during daylight. Tourists are strongly advised not to touch or take photos of them using flash to avoid trauma on the part of the tarsiers. You can visit them at Bohol’s Tarsier Preservation Center.

 

Philippine Forest Turtle

An extremely rare and exotic creature found in the Philippines, the Philippine Forest Turtle is found in the islands of Palawan. This omnivorous creature feeds on aquatic plants and small fishes. Due to the abusive acts of the people and probable threats from habitat loss, the Philippine Forest Turtle is now critically endangered.

These are just some of the Philippines’ countless treasures; there are still so many of them waiting to be discovered. Let’s all do our part to protect them from extinction so that they can see the future with us.