Culion Island (9749)
Philippines, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: A1e, B2

Year of last assessment: 2018

National site name: Culion Island

Central coordinates: Latitude: 11.8333, Longitude: 119.9167

System: marine, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 70 to 467

Area of KBA (km²): 450.28836

Protected area coverage (%): 90.13

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: Culion (45,600 ha) is the second largest of the Calamian group, to the north of Palawan. It retains patches of open canopy broadleaf lowland forest, consisting of small to medium sized trees on poor soil. These are found both along the ridges and on flat areas.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.

Additional biodiversity: Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area were recently recorded on Culion, including the threatened Philippine Cockatoo, Blue-headed Racquet-tail and Palawan Hornbill. The reports of Palawan Peacock-pheasant there are surprising and require confirmation. Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals recorded in this IBA include bearded pig Sus barabatus and the endangered endemic Calamian hog-deer Axis calamianensis. The waters off Culion are known to support a population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. The rare Palawan-endemic Philippine discoglossid frog Barbourula busuangensis is found in this IBA. Mammals recorded in this IBA include bearded pig Sus barabatus and the endangered endemic Calamian hog-deer Axis calamianensis. The waters off Culion are known to support a population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. The rare Palawan-endemic Philippine discoglossid frog Barbourula busuangensis is found in this IBA.

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: Culion (45,600 ha) is the second largest of the Calamian group, to the north of Palawan. It retains patches of open canopy broadleaf lowland forest, consisting of small to medium sized trees on poor soil. These are found both along the ridges and on flat areas.

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial	33
Forest	67

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The forests on Culion are not believed to be under serious threat of encroachment, apart from occasional cutting apparently for local use.

Additional information