CEBU’S

BIODIVERSITY
 What is Biodiversity?

• Biodiversity - is the variation of

taxonomic life forms.
Important terms in understanding
biodiversity:

• Endemic – species or subspecies

which is naturally occurring and found
only within specific areas in the
country.

• Indigenous – specie or subspecies of

wildlife naturally occurring or has
natural establish population in the
country.
• Keystone – are species that exert a
particular strong influence on the
structure and functioning of a
particular ecosystem. (Raven and
Johnson, 2002)

• Resident – species that do not migrate

(sedentary).

• Exotic – specie of subspecies which do

not naturally occur in the country.
• Importance of Biodiversity
Infinite supply of fruits, seeds,
80,000 edible plants, latex, oils, spices,
gums, resins, turpentines, varnishes,
lubricants, inks, flavoring, scenting
agents, drugs, polishes, insecticides,
cosmetics, clothing, packing materials,
rattan, flowers, honey, decorative
plants, tanning agents, wood, pulp,
paper, food and many others; all for
free.
• Reasons why biodiversity is important?
❖Endemicity – 70% of the major species
groups in the Philippines are found
nowhere else in the world
❖Faunal Regions – The Philippines is
naturally composed of several major
faunal regions; each separated by deep
water channels
❖Threatened species – Already over 300
species of plants and animals are
included in the international “Red Lists”
of threatened species, many more are
being added every year.
 Overview of Cebu Island
• Rank as the world’s highest priority area in
terms of biodiversity conservation
• Center of endemism having 15 endemic bird
taxa and 12 of which are threatened birds
(IUCN)
• Cebu is part of the Greater Negros-Panay
Faunal region
• 3% forest cover in the 1987 satellite map data
of the original dipterocarp forest
• With a total of 5,088 sq.km., Cebu is
considered as the most progressive island
since 19th century (Rabor, 1959)
contributing to its dwindling forest cover
resulting to the extinction or loss of its
endemic flora and fauna

• Recent island-wide survey found

remaining natural secondary forest (1999
to 2008)
• Tabunan Forest Cebu City, Nug-as Forest
in Alcoy, Mt. Kapayas in Carmen/Catmon,
Mt. Lantoy in Argao, Mt. Lanaya in Alegria
and Mt. Kambulagsing in Malabuyoc.

• Concerted effort has been done to save

these unique flora and fauna

• Balance of progress and environmental

protection must be initiated to maintain the
uniqueness of Cebu’s flora and fauna.
Philippine

Faunal

Regions
 Cebu’s
Unique Flora
and Fauna
 Cebu’s
Unique
Extinct Fauna
Cebu tamaraw (Bubalus cebuensis)
Kalabawng Ihalas
Status: EXTINCT
The Cebu tamaraw (Bubalus cebuensis) is a fossil dwarf
buffalo discovered in the Philippines, and first described
in 2006.
The most distinctive feature of B. cebuensis was its small
size. Large contemporary domestic water buffalo stand
two metres (roughly six ft) at the shoulder and can weigh
up to one tonne (around 2,000 lbs), B. cebuensis would
have stood only 75 cm (about 2 ft 6 in) and weighed about
150 to 160 kg (around 300 lbs), smaller than another
dwarf species B. mindorensis. The fossil specimen is
likely Pleistocene or Holocene in age.

The fossil was discovered in a horizontal tunnel in soft

karst at approximately 50 m elevation in K-Hill near
Balamban, Cebu Island, Philippines by mining engineer
Michael Armas. The fossil was donated to America's Field
Museum where it stayed un-analysed for almost 50 years.
 Cebu warty pig (Sus cebifrons cebifrons)
Baboy Ihalas
Status: EXTINCT
Last know specie butchered in Butong, Argao, Cebu in 1959
 Visayan Spotted Deer
(Rusa alfredi)
Hunted by Spanish officials in the late
19th century as a game animal
 Cebu’s
Endemic Plant
Species
Lepeostegeres cebuensis is described as a new species from Cebu Island,
Philippines (2016). It is unique among currently known species in the genus by
having peculiar ridges of orange-brown scales on the young leaves and internodes.
This discovery brings the total number of Philippine Lepeostegeres species to three.
Lepeostegeres cebuensis is considered to be Data Deficient (DD) following the Red
List Criteria of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
 Cebu Cinnamon Cinnamomum cebuense (Kost.1986) locally called
Kaningag/Kalingag, is an endemic tree species on the island of Cebu
declared as a Critically Endangered plant species by the International Union
for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) under DAO 2007-1 (Paguntalan, et al., 2015)
 Cynometra cebuensis
A new species of Caesalpiniaceae described
by Franz Siedensharz in 2013.
It is only found in Tabunan Forest in Cebu City.
 Bicknell’s Hoya
Discovered by David Bicknell in June 1998
in Badian, Cebu. The species was described by
Dale Kloppenberg in 1999 and named after its finder.
 Vaccinium cebuense (Ericaceae)
Phaius reflexipelatus (Orchidaceae)
 Cebu’s
Endemic Bird
Species
 Cebu Flowerpecker - Anayoto
Dicaeum quadricolor
One of the most CRITICALLY Endangered bird specie in
the world with only about less than 100 species in the wild.
Recent records are only in Tabunan Forest, Nug-as Forest,
Mt. Lantoy and Dalaguete forest.
 Cebu Hawk Owl-Kuwago
Ninux rumseyi
THREATENED Endangered bird species and considered
distinct species of hawk owl in 2013. Recent records are
only in Tabunan Forest, Nug-as Forest, Cansuje, Argao,
Mag-alambak, Dalaguete and Mt. Kapayas.
 Cebu black shama - Siloy
Copsychus cebuensis
Endangered endemic bird with recent recorded large
population in Nug-as Forest. This bird species preferred
understory thickets of remaining forest patches.
 Cebu Brown-dove
Phapitreron frontalis
Declared as a distinct of brown dove species and endemic
to Cebu Island in 2014. CRITICALLY endangered endemic
bird with recent record in Nug-as Forest.
 Cebu’s
Endemic Bat
Species
 Philippine Bare-backed fruit bat
Dobsonia chapmani
Recorded in Cebu and Negros only and thought to be
extinct in Cebu when it was rediscovered in Mt. Kapayas in
2001 and is currently declared as CRITICALLY
endangered bat specie.
 Golden crowned- flying fox
Acedoron jubatos
Heaviest bat in the world, declared as CRITICALLY
endangered bat species. Recently recorded in Malones,
Dalaguete roosting in a tree together
with 3 other species of fruit bat.
 Philippine tube-nosed fruit bat
Nyctemine rabori
Declared as endangered endemic bat species found only in
Cebu, Negros and Sibuyan Islands. Recently recorded in Mt.
Kapayas, Tabunan Forest, Nug-as Forest, Mt. Lanaya, Mag-
alambak, Dalaguete, Kawasan, Badian and
Canbantug and Cansuje, Argao.
 Cebu’s
Endemic Fish
Species
 Sicyopus cebuensis
Declared as extinct by DENR (2015), was first
documented in Naga, River in 1998 by Chen and
Shao. Type of Goby fish that is considered to be one
of the smallest in the world.
 Cebu’s
Endemic
Reptile Species
 Cebu Small Worm Skink
Brachymeles cebuensis
Endemic skink species found in Cebu collected by Brown
and Rabor (1997) in the localities of Tapal, Mantalongon,
Barili and in Buhisan Forest in Cebu City.
 Cebu’s
Endemic
Insect Species
List of Key Biodiversity Area of Cebu:

1.Nug-as and Mt. Lantoy

2.Mt. Lanaya-Mt. Kambulagsing
3.Tabunan Forest
4.Mactan, Kalawisan and Cansaga Bay
5.Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary
 Tabunan Risiocnemis - Alisoysuy
Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi
A new specie of damselfly endemic in Cebu discovered along
a small creek flowing out in Tabunan Forest. It was
scientifically described by Dr. Matti Hamalainen and was
named in honor of Dr. Franz Seidenschwarz.
 Kawasan Paper Kite Butterfly - Kaba-kaba
Idea leuconoe jumaloni
Sub specie of Idea leoconoe specie of butterfly
A new specie of butterfly endemic in Cebu discovered along
Kawasan River in Matutinao, Badian. It was scientifically
described by Collin G. Treadaway and was named in honor of
the late Julian Jumalon, Cebu’s known lepidopterist.
List of few remaining natural secondary forest:

1.Tabunan Forest (Central Cebu Protected

Landscape
2.Tabunan Forest in Cebu City
3.Nug-as Forest in Alcoy
4.Mt. Kapayas in Carmen-Catmon
5.Mt Lantoy in Argao
6.Mt. Lanaya in Alegria
7.Mt. Kambulagsing in Malabuyoc
Proposed New Key Biodiversity Areas of
Cebu:

1.Northern Cebu KBA

2.Camotes Islands KBA
Many rare Cebu-species whose only
home is Cebu island are threatened.
We can do something to avert their
extinction by protecting the existing
habitats and creating new
"survival habitats".
The loss of habitat must be stopped
by all means.
 Daghan
Salamat!!!!!