Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Natural Park / Cleopatra's Needle (9752)
Philippines, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2006

National site name: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Natural Park / Cleopatra's Needle

Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.1667, Longitude: 118.9167

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 0 to 1593

Area of KBA (km²): 1252.7834

Protected area coverage (%): 98.46

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: St Paul's Subterranean River National Park is on west coast of Palawan, c.81 km north of Puerto Princesa. It is bounded to the north by St Paul Bay, and to the south by Babuyan River. The landforms in the park are associated with rocky mountains (of marble AND LIMESTONE) running from north to south. The main feature is an 8.2 km underground river, and there are also spectacular limestone formations. Note that the boundaries of the IBA have been extended beyond those of the park, to include an adjacent area of good forest around Mt Cleopatra, where there have been recent records of threatened and restricted-range birds. Two-thirds of the area is covered by lush tropical rainforest from the shoreline to the highest peak, and one-third is thinly vegetated karst limestone. The vegetation types include lowland forest (often with a 35 m canopy), coastal forest and karst forest. There is a small human population in the park, whose livelihoods are fishing and farming.

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. 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. Restricted Range Species: Chloropsis palawanensis, Collocalia palawanensis, Copsychus niger, Homoeogenus schoppei, Hypsipetes palawanensis, Hystrix pumila, Jaechanax zetteli, Odontanax palawanus, Parathelphusa cabayugan, Prionochilus plateni, Rhinolophus virgo, Trichastoma cinereiceps, Cyornis lemprieri, Hylopetes nigripes, Malacopteron palawanense, Otus fuliginosus, Parus amabilis, Terpsiphone cyanescens.

Additional biodiversity: This National Park is currently a popular destination for visiting bird-watchers, and most of the threatened and restricted-range birds of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area have been recorded there. Several threatened species are regularly seen in the extensive lowland forests there, and the populations of Palawan Peacock-pheasant and Philippine Cockatoo in the park are particularly important. Non-bird biodiversity: The area is known to support large populations of cave roosting bats, plus the endemic threatened Palawan flying fox Acerodon leucotis, Oriental small-clawed otter Amblonyx cinereus, Palawan stink-badger Mydaus marchei, binturong Arctictis binturong, Palawan flying squirrel Hylopetes nigripes, Palawan montane tree squirrel Sundasciurus rabori and Palawan porcupine Hystrix pumila. The underground river supports plant species, such as Dracontemelon dao, Pometia primata and Diospyrus sp.

Delineation rationale: 2018-05-02 (BL Secretariat): the IBA area has been expanded from >36,000 ha (2001 IBA) to 126,933 ha (merger of two 2006 KBAs, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Natural Park [22,202 ha] and Cleopatra's Needle [104,731 ha]).

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: St Paul's Subterranean River National Park is on west coast of Palawan, c.81 km north of Puerto Princesa. It is bounded to the north by St Paul Bay, and to the south by Babuyan River. The landforms in the park are associated with rocky mountains (of marble AND LIMESTONE) running from north to south. The main feature is an 8.2 km underground river, and there are also spectacular limestone formations. Note that the boundaries of the IBA have been extended beyond those of the park, to include an adjacent area of good forest around Mt Cleopatra, where there have been recent records of threatened and restricted-range birds. Two-thirds of the area is covered by lush tropical rainforest from the shoreline to the highest peak, and one-third is thinly vegetated karst limestone. The vegetation types include lowland forest (often with a 35 m canopy), coastal forest and karst forest. There is a small human population in the park, whose livelihoods are fishing and farming.

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

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The human population in the park is currently small, occupying an area suitable for rice cultivation on both sides of the Cabayugan River. However, many small areas adjacent to the park had been cleared for cultivation in the early 1990s, which could pose a serious long-term threat to the forests inside the park. Some logging has recently been reported from inside the park, and the gathering of rattans would pose a major problem if left unchecked. However, the park is relatively well manned and actively managed by the local government of Palawan.

Additional information