Mount Cabalantian - Mount Capoto-an complex (9773)
Philippines, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Mount Cabalantian - Mount Capoto-an complex
Central coordinates: Latitude: 12.1500, Longitude: 124.9500
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 850
Area of KBA (km2): 981.21794
Protected area coverage (%): 74.73
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA comprises the mountains of central Samar, which straddle the boundary between Samar and Eastern Samar Provinces. The highest peaks are Mt Cabalantian and Mt Capotoan, but they only reach a maximum altitude of 850 m. Extensive areas of both undisturbed and disturbed lowland dipterocarp forest are shown in this part of Samar on recent forest cover maps. Typical dipterocarp forest covers the relatively level areas between the hills, and molave-dipterocarp forest covers the steeper slopes of the hills and ridges. The highest peaks have vegetation approaching the mid-mountain type, but never become the typical mid-montane forest. There are also cleared areas covered with tall grasses and secondary growth.
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.
Additional biodiversity: Many of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Area have been recorded in or near to the Mt Cabalantian-Mt Capotoan complex, mainly during a collecting expedition in 1957. These include all three species endemic to the Eastern Visayas, Samar Hornbill, Visayan Broadbill and Yellow-breasted Tailorbird. Some threatened species were found to be unusually abundant in this region, notably Silvery Kingfisher. There are recent records of Philippine Eagle from this IBA, and the relatively extensive forests which remain there are probably an important part of the network of sites required for the conservation of this critically endangered species.
Delineation rationale: 02/2008: following IBA/KBA crosswalk, three 2001 IBAs -- Mount Cabalantian - Mount Capoto-an complex (SitRecID 9773), Southern Samar mountains (SitRecID 9775) and Mount Yacgun - Mount Sohoton complex (SitRecID 9774) -- have been merged to form the 2006 KBA Samar Island Natural Park (SitRecID 23307).
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: This IBA comprises the mountains of central Samar, which straddle the boundary between Samar and Eastern Samar Provinces. The highest peaks are Mt Cabalantian and Mt Capotoan, but they only reach a maximum altitude of 850 m. Extensive areas of both undisturbed and disturbed lowland dipterocarp forest are shown in this part of Samar on recent forest cover maps. Typical dipterocarp forest covers the relatively level areas between the hills, and molave-dipterocarp forest covers the steeper slopes of the hills and ridges. The highest peaks have vegetation approaching the mid-mountain type, but never become the typical mid-montane forest. There are also cleared areas covered with tall grasses and secondary growth.
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 33 | |
| Forest | 67 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: There is presumably encroachment into the forests of this IBA by illegal occupants and the extraction of timber and other forest products, as elsewhere on Samar.