Central Cebu (including Tabunan) (9768)
Philippines, Asia

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Year of last assessment: 2006

National site name: Central Cebu (including Tabunan)

Central coordinates: Latitude: 10.3667, Longitude: 123.7667

System: terrestrial

Elevation (m): 100 to 980

Area of KBA (km²): 312.84587

Protected area coverage (%): 89.04

KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: This IBA is within Central Cebu National Park (CCNP), which was established under Proclamation No. 202 on 15 September 1937 (originally 15,393.58 ha), amended by Proclamation No. 835-A on 27 March 1971 (to 11,894 ha). The CCNP also lies adjacent to the older Sudlon National Park (SNP) in Cebu City, which was established on 11 April 1936 with Proclamation No. 56 (696 ha). Both parks overlap with the Kotkot and Lusaran River Watershed Forest Reserve (14,534 ha) that was established through Proclamation No. 932 on 29 June 1992.

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. KBA no. 82; Restricted Range Species: Coracina coerulescens, Mearnsia picina, Mabuya multicarinata borealis, Varanus salvator nuchallis; Other animals found in the area: Miniopterus schreibersi, Accipiter soloensis, Acrocephalus orientalis, Amaurornis olivacea, Amaurornis phoenicurus, Ardea cinerea, Arenaria interpres, Butorides striatus, Cacomantis merulinus, Cacomantis variolosus, Calidris acuminatus, Calidris alba, Calidris ferruginea, Calidris ruficollis, Calidris subminuta, Calidris tenuirostris, Caprimulgus manillensis, Ceyx lepidus, Chaerophon plicata, Charadrius alexandrinus, Charadrius dubius, Charadrius leschenaultii, Charadrius mongolus, Charadrius peronii, Chlidonias hybridus, Chlidonias leucopterus, Collocalia esculenta, Collocalia vanikorensis, Coturnix chinensis, Cuculus fugax, Cynopterus brachyotis, Cypsiurus balasiensis, Draco spilopterus, Dupetor flavicollis, Egretta alba, Egretta garzetta, Egretta intermedia, Elanus caeruleus, Elaphe erythrura, Eonycteris spelaea, Falco severus, Fregata minor, Gallicrex cinerea, Gallinago megala, Gallinula chloropus, Gallirallus philippensis, Gallirallus striatus, Gallus gallus, Gelochelidon nilotica, Geopelia striata, Halcyon capensis, Hemidactylus garnoti, Hemiprocne comata, Heteroscelus brevipes, Himantopus himantopus, Hipposideros ater, Hipposideros diadema, Hirundo daurica, Ixobrychus sinensis, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Limicola falcinellus, Limnodromus semipalmatus, Limosa limosa, Lycodon capucinus, Mabuya indeprensa, Macroglossus minimus, Megaderma spasma, Merops philippinus, Miniopterus tristis, Numenius arquata, Numenius madagascariensis, Numenius phaeopus, Nycticorax caledonicus, Padda oryzivora, Passer montanus, Pernis ptilorhynchus, Phalaropus lobatus, Philomachus pugnax, Pluvialis squatarola, Porzana cinerea, Prionailurus bengalensis, Ptilinopus leclancheri, Python reticulates, Rallina eurizonoides, Rattus argentiventer, Rattus exulans, Rattus tanezumi, Rousettus amplexicaudatus, Scotophilus kuhlii, Sterna fuscata, Streptopelia chinensis, Taphozous melanopogon, Treron pompadora, Treron vernans, Tringa glareola, Tringa nebularia, Tringa stagnatilis, Tringa tetanus, Turdus obscurus, Turnix suscitator, Tyto capensis, Varanus salvator, Xenus cinereus

Additional biodiversity: Tabunan is of critical importance for the conservation of the birds and other biodiversity characteristic of the Cebu Endemic Bird Area. Cebu Flowerpecker, considered extinct since 1906, was rediscovered there in 1992, and it is currently known to survive only in this IBA and at Nug-as and Mt Lantoy (PH071). This is also one of the few IBAs selected for the Black Shama (which survives in a considerable number of localities on Cebu but in small numbers at most of them), and Tabunan almost certainly supports one of the largest remaining populations of this species. Two other threatened species which were thought to be extinct on Cebu were rediscovered at Tabunan during recent fieldwork, Streak breasted Bulbul (represented on Cebu by an endemic subspecies) and Philippine Leafbird. There were also possible sightings of the Cebu endemic subspecies of the restricted-range Blackish Cuckoo-shrike. Twelve subspecies of bird are endemic to Cebu, of which at least five have recently been recorded at Tabunan, Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala cebuensis, Streak breasted Bulbul (see above), Elegant Tit Parus elegans visayanus, White-vented Whistler Pachycephala homeyeri major and Everett’s White-eye Zosterops everetti everetti. There have also been possible sightings there of the Cebu subspecies of White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis cebuensis and Blackish Cuckoo-shrike (see above). Recent records of Colasisi Loriculus philippensis at Tabunan may refer to the Cebu endemic L. p. chrysonotus or to escaped birds brought to Cebu from other islands. Non-bird biodiversity: The critically endangered Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit Bat Nyctimene rabori occurs at Tabunan. The forest patches in this IBA support a wide variety of trees and other plants, including the last known stands of Caningag or Cebu cinnamon tree Cinnamonum cebuensis, and at least 200 other native and endemic plant species, many of them threatened. Among the most important of these native plants are the leguminous vines called “Sampinit” which produces greenish-white flowers that are frequently visited by nectar-feeding birds such as sunbirds, white-eyes, bulbuls, starlings and flowerpeckers, notably the Cebu Flowerpecker.

Delineation rationale: 2018-05-02 (BL Secretariat): the 2001 IBA Tabunan (area 420 ha, altitude range 400-900 m) has been expanded to cover the 2006 KBA Central Cebu Protected Landscape (area 29,224 ha; altitude range 100-980 m).

Habitats

Summary of habitats in KBA: This IBA is within Central Cebu National Park (CCNP), which was established under Proclamation No. 202 on 15 September 1937 (originally 15,393.58 ha), amended by Proclamation No. 835-A on 27 March 1971 (to 11,894 ha). The CCNP also lies adjacent to the older Sudlon National Park (SNP) in Cebu City, which was established on 11 April 1936 with Proclamation No. 56 (696 ha). Both parks overlap with the Kotkot and Lusaran River Watershed Forest Reserve (14,534 ha) that was established through Proclamation No. 932 on 29 June 1992.

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

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The forest block at Tabunan is under great pressure. The area is so small that the removal of just a few of the larger trees could have serious consequences for the endemic biodiversity. If the current trends continue, it is feared that the forest could disappear within five years. The most important threats are clearance to provide timber and firewood for local consumption, and encroachment into the forests for kaingin and permanent agriculture. The status of Central Cebu National Park affords little if any protection and may actually allow unregulated use of the area by outsiders, including residential development to meet the high demand for housing from incoming settlers.

Additional information