Central Marinduque (9736)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Central Marinduque
Central coordinates: Latitude: 13.4167, Longitude: 121.9500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 1153
Area of KBA (km2): 89.19765
Protected area coverage (%): 91.71
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Marinduque is an island of 172,700 ha off the southwestern coast of Luzon. It is hilly and reaches a maximum altitude of 1,153 m. Two small blocks of old growth forest are shown on recent forest cover maps around the highest peaks in the center and south of the island. Most of the forest remaining on the island is likely to be lowland in type, with some montane forest above c.1,000 m. This IBA includes the small Torrijos Watershed Reserve, which has an area of 105 ha.
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: Several of the threatened and restricted-range birds of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on Marinduque, but the ornithological coverage there appears to have been rather sparse and more survey work may locate more of these species. There is a population of the threatened Green Racquet-tail on the island, but it is believed to be small. Six subspecies of birds are endemic to Marinduque, Amethyst Brown-dove Phapitreron amethystina imeldae, Blackish Cuckoo-shrike (see above), White-browed Shama Copsychus luzoniensis shemleyi, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra marinduquensis, Purple-throated Sunbird Nectarinia sperata marinduquensis and Mountain White-eye Zosterops montanus gilli. Non-bird biodiversity: Threatened endemic mammals recorded on Marinduque include the Philippine Pygmy Fruit Bat Haplonycteris fischeri and the Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat Phloeomys cumingi, which was last recorded in 1890 but may still be present in the area. The Philippine Warty Pig Sus philippensis, which used to be common is now extinct in this IBA. Other endemic mammals like Philippine Pygmy Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros pygmaeus, Philippine Nectar Bat Eonycteris robusta and Large Rufous Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus rufus are also found in this IBA. Endemic herpetofauna so far recorded in this IBA are Giant Philippine Frog Rana magna macrocephala and Truncate-toed Chorus Frog Kaloula conjuncta. The waters around Marinduque are also known to support threatened animals, such as Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea, Green Turtle Chelonia mydas, Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata and Spinner Dolphin Stenella longirostris.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Marinduque is an island of 172,700 ha off the southwestern coast of Luzon. It is hilly and reaches a maximum altitude of 1,153 m. Two small blocks of old growth forest are shown on recent forest cover maps around the highest peaks in the center and south of the island. Most of the forest remaining on the island is likely to be lowland in type, with some montane forest above c.1,000 m. This IBA includes the small Torrijos Watershed Reserve, which has an area of 105 ha.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 | |
| Forest | 67 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The remaining forests on the island are presumably under heavy pressure from clearance for agriculture and the collection of forest products.
Additional information
References: Alcala and Brown (1998).