Whether you’re a lover of marine life, birds or land mammals, the Philippines has an impressive array of all of them. With over 7,000 islands full of water, lush jungle and mountain ranges, there’s many places for a wildlife enthusiast to explore.
With almost one fourth of the Philippines covered in forest, you can enjoy treks through stunning greenery and impressive scenery. Along you way you may spot one of the 900 species of orchid, 760 species of bird life and maybe some wild pigs, deer or mongoose. But this is not all you’ll see; let’s take a look at some of the other really unique wildlife you may stumble across on your ramblings.
Dugong, Busuanga Island
20 dugongs are
believed to inhabit the areas surrounding this
beautiful Philippines Island. If you
fancy trying to catch sight of the world’s only herbivorous marine mammal, the
Dugong Dive Centre tells clients they have an 80% chance of seeing one when snorkeling
and diving with them – definitely worth a try.
Philippine Tarsier, Corella, Bohol
Apparently this little cutey is slightly shy and you’ll be unlikely to stumble across him out in the wild. However, you can visit the Philippine Tarsier Foundation which allows Tarsiers to live in a semi-natural habitat while giving them protection from predators and poachers.
Palawan Peacock Pheasant, National Park, Palawan
Due to its declining habitat, the Palawan Peacock Pheasant is now an endangered species with reportedly only less than 10,000 left. If you’re really lucky you may spot one out in the forest, but you’ll probably have more chance at the Subterranean River National Park, Palawan.
Philippine Eagle, Mount Kitanglad, Mindanao
One of the world’s largest and most powerful birds of prey, the Philippine Eagle was previously nicknamed the ‘monkey eating eagle’ as natives thought it just preyed on monkeys. Later studies found this to be in-correct and it’s now known to have a diet that spans just monkeys including; pigs, lizards, snakes, rodents and bats! It can be found in mountainous and forested areas, hold onto your children!
Mindoro Crocodile/Philippines Crocodile
Just like many species of wildlife, the Philippines crocodile is on the decline due to its commercial exploitation and the destruction of its habitat. Now in the endangered status, if you want to spot one of these animals you’ll have to head to the North of Luzon or the Southwest of the Mindanao Islands. These crocodiles love to live on coastal shores and freshwater areas and a little known fact is; their skin colour changes depending on their mood or environment!
