Endangered species:

The Philippine

Tarsier

known locally as the Maumag inCebuano/Visayan and Mamag in Luzon, is an endangered

species of tarsier endemic to thePhilippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly in the islands ofBohol Island, Samar Island, Leyte Island and Mindanao. It is a member of the approximately 45 million year old family Tarsiidae, whose name is derived from its elongated "tarsus" or ankle bone. It was only introduced to western biologists in the 18th century. Habitat The Philippine Tarsier's habitat is the second growth, secondary forest, and primary forest from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft).[10] Its habitat also includes tropical rainforest with dense vegetation and trees that offer it protection like tall grasses, bushes and bamboo shoots. It prefers dense, low-level vegetation in secondary forests, with perching sites averaging 2 meters above the ground.[11] Home range Early studies showed that the Philippine Tarsier has a home range of 1 to 2 hectares,[12] but more recent research shows that home ranges averaged 6.45 hectares for males and 2.45 hectares for females (MCP and Kernel 95%), allowing for a density of 16 male and 41 female tarsiers per 100 ha.[13] Research findings also show that while both male and female tarsiers are solitary animals, they cross each other's paths under the cover of nightfall as they hunt for prey. They travel up to one and a half kilometres across the forest and the optimal area is more than six hectares.[3] Ecosystem roles Besides human hunters, feral cats banished from nearby communities are the species' main predators, though some large birds are known to prey on it as well.[14] Because of its nocturnal and arboreal habits, the Philippine Tarsier is most likely to fall prey to owls, or to small carnivores which it can encounter in its canopy homes. Feeding ecology The Philippine Tarsier is amberous. Primarily insectivorous, its diet consists of live insects and it has also been observed to feed on spiders, small crustaceans, and small vertebrates such as small lizards and birds. Tarsius syrichta preys on live insects, particularly crickets andgrasshoppers. Upon seizing its prey, the tarsier carries it to its mouth using both hands.[12] As predators, the Philippine Tarsier may help to structure insect communities. To the extent that it is preyed upon by other animals, it mayimpact predator populations. Behavior The Philippine Tarsier is a shy nocturnal[12] animal that leads a mostly hidden life, asleep during the day and only active to look for food during the night. During the day, it sleeps in dark hollows close to the ground, near the trunks of trees and shrubs deep in the impenetrable bushes and forests. They only become active at night, and even then, with their much better sight and amazing ability to maneuver around trees, are very well able to avoid humans.[5]

It is arboreal[12] and is a vertical clinger and leaper,[8] habitually clinging vertically to trees and are capable of leaping from branch to branch. The Philippine Tarsier is solitary. However, it is found to have either monogamous or polygamous mating system.[8] Communication The Philippine Tarsier uses varied means of communication. Although less vocal than many primate species, it uses calls which are often associated with territorial maintenance and male-female spacing. Its "loud call" is a loud piercing single note. When content, it emits a sound similar to a soft sweet bird-like twill. And when several tarsiers come together, they have a chirping, locust-like sound.[15] Its vocal communication is the distress call made by infants when they are separated from their mothers. It is also the call made by males to their mates during mating season. Its olfactory communication is the marking of a scent from the circumoral gland which the female uses to mark her mate with the gland located around the mouth. It is also the marking of a male's territory with the use of urine. Its tactile communication is the social grooming done when one tarsier grooms the other, removing dead skin and parasites, observed in females on adult males, as well as in females on their offspring.[8] Reproduction The Philippine Tarsier's pregnancy or gestation period lasts about 6 months. The female's estrous cycle lasts 2528 days.[8] Mating season begins in April to May. The males deposit a mating plugin the female's vagina after intercourse. The female gives birth to one offspring per gestation. The infant is born with a lot of hair and born with its eyes open. The females carry their infants in their mouth. A new born can already cling to branches and in less than a month after birth, it can start leaping. The Philippine Tarsier reproduces poorly in captivity There is no known negative impact of the Philippine Tarsier on humans, just as long as it is in its native environment. However, when kept as pets, there is a possibility that the species may spread worms and other parasites to their human owners. Tarsiers used to be kept as pets or sold for trade, although their survival in captivity is erratic due to their need for live insects upon which to feed. There have been reports that Tarsiers kept as pets are known to constantly hit their soft head as an act of suicide.[citation needed] Scientists are interested in these animals because of their unique taxonomic position, and study of tarsiers may aid human economies. Threats to the species For the past 45 million years, tarsiers have inhabited rainforests around the world, but now they only exist on a few islands in the Philippines, Borneo and Indonesia.[3] In Bohol, the Philippine Tarsier was a common sight in the southern part of the

island until the 1960s. Since then, the number has dwindled to as few as an estimated 1000 still left in the wild.[citation
needed]

Once protected by the humid rainforests and mist-shrouded hills, these mysterious primates struggle to survive as

their home is cleared for crop growing. Due to the quickly growing human population, which causes more and more forests to be converted to farmland, housing areas and roads, the place where the Philippine Tarsier can live its secluded life is disappearing.[5] Along this line, the dwindling of Philippine forests has posed a grave and significant threat to the survival of the Philippine Tarsier because this results in the destruction of its natural forest habitat. Indiscriminate and illegal logging, cutting of trees for firewood, "kaingin" or slash and burn method of agriculture, urbanization patterns have encroached on the habitats of the tarsier, causing the tarsier to be threatened or endangered.[29] The unabated hunting of the species by humans for house pets or for trade has contributed to its decline as well. Hunting tarsiers to sell as pets was a thriving industry until recently. Because of its adorable and benign appearance, many have been lured to keep the Philippine Tarsier as pets. This demand fuels the capture and illegal trade of the animal further diminishing its remaining number.[citation needed]Moreover, the life span for wild tarsiers is 24 years, but often as little as 12 years in captivity. Aside from the issues of replicating a natural diet, climate, and exercise that may reduce a captive tarsier's lifespan, stress may be added by the fact that many human owners want to interact with and display their pets by day, interrupting their nocturnal lifestyle.[citation needed] Paradoxically, indigenous superstition coupled with relatively thick rainforest, particularly in Sarangani province, have apparently preserved this endangered species. Indigenous tribes leave the Philippine Tarsiers in the wild because they fear that these animals could bring bad luck. One belief passed down from ancient times is that they are pets belonging to spirits dwelling in giant fig trees, known as belete trees. If someone harms a tarsier they need to apologize to the spirits of the forest, or it is thought they will encounter sickness or hardship in life.

The Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) or Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo is a small hoofed mammal belonging to the family Bovidae.[1] It is endemic to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines and is the only endemic Philippine bovine. It is believed, however, to have once also thrived on the greater island of Luzon. The tamaraw was originally found all over Mindoro, from sea level up to the mountains (2000 meters above sea level), but because of human habitation, hunting, and logging, it is now restricted to only a few remote grassy plains and is now an endangered species. Contrary to common belief and past classification, the tamaraw is not a subspecies of the localcarabao, which is only slightly larger, or the common water buffalo. In contrast to the carabao, it has a number of distinguishing characteristics: it is slightly hairier, has light markings on its face, is not gregarious, and has shorter horns that are somewhat V-shaped. is the largest nativeterrestrial mammal in the country.
[3]

It

Ecology and life history

As a rare, endemic mammal on a relatively secluded island, the ecology of the tamaraw is largely unknown. Individuals of the species are reclusive and shy away from humans. In addition, the small sizes of the species' subpopulations, already spread thin throughout their fragmented range (on 1986, about 51 individuals are found in a 20 square kilometer area),[10] make contact with any more than a solitary individual a rarity. [edit]Habitat Bubalus mindorensis prefers tropical highland forested areas. It is typically found in thick brush, near open-canopied glades where it may graze and feed on grasses. Since human habitation and subsequent forest fragmentation of their home island of Mindoro, the habitat preferences of the tamaraw have somewhat expanded to lower-altitude grassy plains. Within their mountainous environment, tamaraws will usually be found not far from sources of water.[2][6] [edit]Trophic ecology The tamaraw is a grazer that feeds on grasses and young bamboo shoots although it is known to prefer cogon and talahib (Saccharum spontaneum). They are naturally diurnal, feeding during the daytime hours; however, daytime human activities have recently forced select B. mindorensis individuals to be nocturnal to avoid human contact.[3] [edit]Life history The tamaraw is known to live for about 20 years, with an estimated lifespan of about 25. The adult female tamaraw gives birth to one offspring after a gestation period of about 300 days.[11] There is an interbirth interval of two years, although one female has been sighted with threejuveniles. The calf stays for 24 years with its mother before becoming independent.[3] [edit]Behavioral ecology

Unlike the closely-related water buffalo, B. mindorensis is a solitary creature. Adults of the species do not occur in herds or smaller packs and are often encountered alone. Only juveniles exhibit the typical bovine herding behavior and clan hierarchy often seen in water buffalo.[12]Males and females are known to associate all year round but this interaction lasts only a few hours. It has been suggested that this solitary behavior is an adaptation to its forest environment.[3] Adult males are often solitary and apparently aggressive while adult females can be alone, accompanied by a bull, or three young of different ages.[10] Similar to other bovines, the tamaraw wallows in mud pits. It has been suggested that this behavior is employed by the animals in order to avoid biting insects.[13] Another distinct behavior in B. mindorensis is their fierceness. There are reports concerning their fierceness when cornered although most are unsubstantiated. Threat posture used by the bovine involves lowering of the head, shifting its horns into a vertical position. This is accompanied with a lateral shaking of the head

The Philippine Warty Pig, Sus philippensis, is one of four known pig species endemic to thePhilippines. The other three endemic species are the Visayan Warty Pig (S. cebifrons), Mindoro Warty Pig (S. oliveri) and the Palawan Bearded Pig (S. ahoenobarbus), also being rare members of the Suidae family. Philippine Warty Pigs have two pairs of warts, with a tuft of hair extending outwards from the warts closest to the jaw. Distribution and habitat

In general, the original distribution of S. philippensis covered the western islands of the Philippines, while the original distribution of S. cebifrons covered the central and eastern islands. Specifically, the range of Philippine Warty Pigs included Luzon, Biliran, Samar, Leyte,Mindoro, Mindanao, Jolo, Polillo, Catanduanes, and possibly other islands. Moreover, it was formerly found in most habitats (from sea level to up to 2800 m) but is now confined to remote forests due to loss of habitat and heavy hunting by noose traps or trigger set bullets. Wild pigs have been reported in Bohol and Sibuyan, although it is unclear whether these populations are S. cebifrons or S. philippensis.

The Calamian Deer, Hyelaphus calamianensis, also known as Calamian Hog Deer, is anendangered species of deer found only in the Calamian Group of Islands of Palawan province of thePhilippines. It is one of three species of deer native to the Philippines, the other being thePhilippine Sambar and Visayan Spotted Deer. A typical height for males of 6065 cm has been reported. Males have three-tined antlers. Their fawns are not spotted at birth, which separates them from the best known western population of the hog deer (H. porcinus). There are few natural predators except for birds of prey and pythons.

The Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), also known as the Monkey-eating Eagle, is an eagle of the family Accipitridae that is endemic to forests in the Philippines. It has brown and white-coloured plumage, and a shaggy crest, and generally measures 86102 centimetres (2.823.35 ft) in length and weighs 4.7 to 8 kilograms (10 to 18 lb). Among the rarest, largest, and most powerful birds in the world, it has been declared the Philippines national bird.[2] It is critically endangered, mainly due to massive loss of habitat due to deforestation in most of its range. Killing a Philippine Eagle is punishable under Philippine law by twelve years in jail and heavy fines. Distribution and habitat

The Philippine Eagle is endemic to the Philippines and can be found on four major islands: eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. The largest number of eagles reside on Mindanao, with between 82 and 233

breeding pairs. Only six pairs are found on Samar, two on Leyte, and a few on Luzon. It can be found in Northern Sierra Madre National Park on Luzon and Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad National Parks on Mindanao.[5] This eagle is found in dipterocarp and mid-montane forests, particularly in steep areas. Its elevation ranges from the lowlands to mountains of over 1,800 metres (5,900 ft). It is estimated that only 9,220 square kilometers (2,280,000 acres) of old growth forest remain in the bird's range.[5] However, its total estimated range is about 146,000 square kilometers (56,000 sq mi).[11] [edit]Ecology and behavior

Evolution in the Philippine islands, without other predators, made the eagles the dominant hunter in the Philippine forests. Each breeding pair requires a large home range to successfully raise a chick, and thus the species is extremely vulnerable to deforestation. Earlier it has been estimated that the territory is about 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi), but a study on Mindanao Island found the nearest distance between breeding pairs to be about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) on average, resulting in a circular plot of 133 square kilometres (51 sq mi).[22] The species' flight is fast and agile, resembling the smaller hawks more than similar large birds of prey.[23] Juveniles in play behavior have been observed gripping knotholes in trees with their talons and, using its tail and wings for balance, inserting its head into a tree cavity.[24] Additionally, they have been known to attack inanimate objects for practice as well as attempt to hang upside down to work on their balance.[24] As the parents are not nearby when this occurs, it has been suggested that they do not play a role in teaching the juvenile to hunt.[24] Life expectancy for a wild eagle is estimated to be anywhere from 30 to 60 years. A captive Philippine Eagle lived for 41 years in Rome Zoo, and it was already adult when it arrived at the zoo.[24] However, it is believed that wild birds on average live shorter lives than captive birds.[24] [edit]Diet The Philippine Eagle was known initially as the Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle because it was believed to feed on monkeys (the only monkey native to the Philippines is the Philippine long-tailed macaque) exclusively; this has proven to be inaccurate. The primary prey varies from island to island depending on species availability, particularly in Luzon and Mindanao. This is due to the islands being in different faunal regions. For example, Philippine flying lemurs, the preferred prey in Mindanao, are absent in Luzon.[5] The primary prey for the eagles seen in Luzon comprised of monkey, birds, flying foxes Pteropus and reptiles such as snakes and lizards and in addition giant cloud-rats Phloeomys pallidus which weighs 22.5 kg (4.2-5.7 lb).[25] The eagles prefer flying lemurs and Asian Palm Civets, but they occasionally eat small mammals, birds (owls and hornbills), reptiles (snakes and monitor lizards), and even other birds of prey.[5][23] There have been reports of eagles capturing young pigs and small dogs.[23] It is estimated that the flying lemur could make up 90% of the raptor's diet in some locations.[23] Eagle pairs sometimes hunt troops of monkey cooperatively, with one bird perching nearby to distract the primates allowing the other to swoop in unnoticed for the kill.[23]

[edit]Reproduction The complete breeding cycle of the Philippine Eagle lasts two years. The female matures sexually at five years of age and the male at seven. Like most eagles, the Philippine Eagle is monogamous. Once paired, a couple remains together for the rest of their lives.[4] If one dies, the remaining eagle often searches for a new mate to replace the one lost.[24] The beginning of courtship is signaled by nest-building and the eagle remaining near its nest. Aerial displays also play a major role in the courtship. These displays include paired soaring over a nesting territory, the male chasing the female in a diagonal dive, and mutual talon presentation, where the male presents his talons to the female's back and she flips over in mid-air to present her own talons. Advertisement displays coupled with loud calling have also been reported. The willingness of an eagle to breed is displayed by the eagle bringing nesting materials to the bird's nest. Copulation follows and occurs repeatedly both on the nest and on nearby perches. The earliest courtship has been reported in July.[24] Breeding begins between September and February; birds on different islands, most notably Mindanao and Luzon, begin breeding at different ends of this range.[4] The amount of rainfall and population of prey may also affect the breeding season.[4] The nest is normally built on an emergent dipterocarp, or any tall tree with an open crown, in primary or disturbed forest and may be nearly 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) across and about 30 metres (98 ft) above the ground.[5][23] The eagle's nest resembles a huge platform made of sticks.[23] The eagle frequently reuses the same nesting site for several different chicks.[5] Eight to ten days before the egg is ready to be laid, the female is afflicted with a condition known as egg lethargy. In this experience, the female does not eat, drinks lots of water, and holds its wings droopingly.[24] The female typically lays one egg in the late afternoon or at dusk, although occasionally two have been reported.[23][24] If an egg fails to hatch or the chick dies early, the parents will likely lay another egg the following year. Copulation may last a few days after the egg is laid to enable another egg to be laid should the first one fail. The egg is incubated for 58 to 68 days after being laid. Both sexes participate in the incubation, but the female does the majority of incubating during the day and all of it at night.[24] Both sexes help feed the newly hatched eaglet. Additionally, the parents have been observed taking turns shielding the eaglet from the sun and rain until it is seven weeks old.[24] The young eaglet fledges after four or five months.[23] The earliest an eagle has been observed making a kill is 304 days after hatching.[24] Both parents take care of the eaglet for a total of twenty months.[4]