Ragay Gulf (9728)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Ragay Gulf
Central coordinates: Latitude: 13.7500, Longitude: 122.6000
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 204.16514
Protected area coverage (%): 0.38
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Ragay Gulf lies between the Bicol and Bondoc Peninsulas, in Quezon and Camarines Sur Provinces, south-eastern Luzon. It is a protected gulf with an estuary in the northern part created by drainage from the mountains of the northern Bicol region (including Mt Labo: PH029). There are areas of largely intact mangrove along the coast, with intertidal mudflats, particularly in protected bays such as Peris Bay. The area supports some of the largest tracts of mangrove forest on Luzon, and there are some coral reefs offshore. Coconut plantations dominate the vegetation on the adjacent degraded hillsides. There are local fisheries in the vicinity of all of the mangrove areas, which are of considerable local importance. Mangroves are harvested for timber and other products, and mangrove forest has been converted to aquaculture ponds in Guinayangan and Buenavista. The principal land use in the adjacent uplands is agriculture, mainly the cultivation of coconuts and maize, but the soils in this region are poor. The mangrove forest provides a natural barrier against coastal erosion. The Gulf is important for scientific research, as it constitutes one of the few sites in Luzon with large areas of mangrove forest still in a healthy condition.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CI/CEPF Conservation Outcomes booklet for the Philippines Hotspot (2006). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat category follow the 2004 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: Ragay Gulf is an important area for migratory herons and shorebirds. Up to 5,000 shorebirds have been counted there, but the area may hold even more birds during the peak migration seasons. Significant numbers of the threatened Chinese Egret have been recorded, and Great Egret has occurred there in internationally important numbers.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Ragay Gulf lies between the Bicol and Bondoc Peninsulas, in Quezon and Camarines Sur Provinces, south-eastern Luzon. It is a protected gulf with an estuary in the northern part created by drainage from the mountains of the northern Bicol region (including Mt Labo: PH029). There are areas of largely intact mangrove along the coast, with intertidal mudflats, particularly in protected bays such as Peris Bay. The area supports some of the largest tracts of mangrove forest on Luzon, and there are some coral reefs offshore. Coconut plantations dominate the vegetation on the adjacent degraded hillsides. There are local fisheries in the vicinity of all of the mangrove areas, which are of considerable local importance. Mangroves are harvested for timber and other products, and mangrove forest has been converted to aquaculture ponds in Guinayangan and Buenavista. The principal land use in the adjacent uplands is agriculture, mainly the cultivation of coconuts and maize, but the soils in this region are poor. The mangrove forest provides a natural barrier against coastal erosion. The Gulf is important for scientific research, as it constitutes one of the few sites in Luzon with large areas of mangrove forest still in a healthy condition.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 25 | |
| Forest | 25 | |
| Artificial - Aquatic | 25 | |
| Marine Intertidal | 25 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Ragay Gulf is threatened by the conversion of mangrove forest to aquaculture ponds and also by siltation. Mangroves are harvested for timber and other products, and mangrove forest has been converted to aquaculture ponds in Guinayangan and Buenavista. However, many of the fishponds along the seaward edge have been eroded by wave action and abandoned. A scheme to dam the upper section of the Gulf from Catimo to Guinyangan for use as a large scale aquaculture project has failed. The continued denudation of the remaining forested patches in the water catchment area is causing increased soil erosion and this is resulting in increased siltation in the coastal wetlands.
Additional information
References: Custodio (1996); Davies et al. (1990); Scott (1989).