Ursula Island (9755)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2006
National site name: Ursula Island
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.3333, Longitude: 117.5167
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 11.47654
Protected area coverage (%): 2.14
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The islet of Ursula lies approximately 20 km off Brooke's Point in southern Palawan, about one hour by boat from Rio Tuba. The vegetation is old growth lowland forest, with moderate undergrowth, consisting mostly of tree saplings and seedlings. Fishermen regularly use the island, and there are numerous trails to wells dug in the interior and some small nipa huts. Ursula has been promoted in the past as an ecotourism destination, but it is apparently not visited by many tourists at present.
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: Ursula Island is notable for the large concentrations of imperial-pigeons that roost there, including substantial numbers of the threatened Grey Imperial-pigeon. However, it has been reported that the numbers of pigeons roosting there have declined substantially in recent years. Mantanani Scops-owl, a restricted-range small-island specialist, has also been recorded on the island. The shoreline is a migratory and wintering ground for shorebirds and the surrounding waters are valuable feeding grounds for seabirds, particularly terns.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The islet of Ursula lies approximately 20 km off Brooke's Point in southern Palawan, about one hour by boat from Rio Tuba. The vegetation is old growth lowland forest, with moderate undergrowth, consisting mostly of tree saplings and seedlings. Fishermen regularly use the island, and there are numerous trails to wells dug in the interior and some small nipa huts. Ursula has been promoted in the past as an ecotourism destination, but it is apparently not visited by many tourists at present.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The forest on Ursula is relatively undisturbed. However, hunting may be a problem. In the past, it was reported that hunters seasonally visited the island. Many snares were found during a recent visit, in which there were a Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus and Tabon Scrubfowl Megapodius cumingii, and the crew of a squid-fishing vessel were seen digging for turtle eggs. It is clear that there has been a significant decline in the numbers of roosting pigeons using Ursula, from an estimated 150,000 to a few thousand birds over the last 60 years. Natural predators such as the Lined Slender Arboreal Snake Dendralaphis caudolineatus may have had a significant impact on populations of nesting birds. This is the only snake recorded on Ursula and it is possible that it is only a recent coloniser of the island, perhaps brought there by man. There are also reports of the introduction of rats, and these are very likely to cause further problems.
Additional information
References: Gonzalez (1996).