The must-haves
As soon as you arrive, whether in town or on the remotest island, you're bound to be surprised by the sheer number of stray dogs. Although completely harmless, they have a nasty habit of lying in the middle of roads or crossing them at the wrong moment, so drive carefully and avoid petting them. Another emblematic animal: the rooster. Farm roosters or ring-tailed fools, they don't have a clock in their heads and crow at all hours. You can't take a step without encountering a rooster in the vicinity, along roads and houses. You'll inevitably spot them on the roof of a Jeepney on the way to some competition or other. In the evening, you'll hear the cry of small geckos as they make their way into houses. Encounters with monitor lizards and macaques can also occur in the forest. Along the roads, you'll regularly see a goat here, a pig there and, above all, the famous carabao. This water buffalo is the most common domestic animal in the archipelago. At the beginning of 2023, there were 2.77 million of them. A symbol of strength and perseverance, it is the national animal of the Philippines, no less!
The endemic stars
It would be impossible to list all the species endemic to the Philippines. The three presented here are among the most famous and also among the most threatened with extinction, mainly due to human activities destroying their natural habitat. Protection measures are being taken, but unfortunately are not always sufficient. This is therefore a good opportunity to remind ourselves of a few rules: observe the animals in silence, without touching them or even trying to approach them, and don't pollute their environment (cigarette butts, bottles, plastic). And to increase your chances of spotting a rare specimen, the services of a guide are highly recommended.
The tarsier. At 15 centimetres and 100 grams, this is the world's smallest monkey. With its big eyes, 180° swiveling head and tiny hands, it looks like a gremlin. Endemic to the island of Bohol, the tarsier is now protected in a sanctuary where it can be observed under very strict rules, as this little creature is extremely fragile. It can even kill itself under extreme stress.
The tamaraw. Also known as the "dwarf buffalo", the tamaraw lives only on the island of Mindoro. It is a small, dark-brown bovine with hooves and horns, around 1 m high, which lives alone. At the beginning of the 20th century, its population was estimated at 10,000 individuals. By 2000, the population had dwindled to just 150, but thanks to political decisions to protect it, the (still endangered) population had risen to 500 by 2023. 80% of tamaraws live in the Iglit-Baco Mountains National Park.
Philippine eagle. With a wingspan of 2.5 meters, this is one of the world's largest birds of prey. Locally known as a "monkey eater", this eating habit is more legend than fact. Endemic to the island of Mindanao, it is a super-predator, meaning it has no natural predators. Despite this, only around 200 Philippine eagles remain, threatened as they are by deforestation and poaching.
Reptiles and birds
Reptiles are numerous (around 420 species, of which 241 are endemic). Among the most famous, the Philippine crocodile is an endemic species that can grow up to 3 meters long and lives in freshwater in Mindanao and northern Luzon. This prehistoric species is endangered, although efforts are being made to protect it, notably by the Mabuwaya Foundation. There are also several species of monitor lizards and geckos, while the arid zones are more suitable for snakes. These include cobras and pythons (which can reach 10 meters in length). The cigalo, a sea snake with a debonair appearance, is one of the most aggressive. Silver when young, it turns white with black stripes as an adult and can measure up to 2.50 meters. Its venom is 17 times more potent than that of the cobra. Fortunately, it only bites very rarely. There are also around a hundred species of amphibian, the majority of which are native to the islands. The islands are also home to some 700 species of birds, including parrots. Beautiful, colorful birds are abundant in the Philippines. One example is the famous Palawan peacock, a remarkable bird with a blue crest; it is also an endangered species found only on Palawan.
An exceptional marine fauna
Philippine waters are teeming with a multitude of fish and marine mammals, enjoying some of the world's finest coral reefs. Indeed, the archipelago is located in the Coral Triangle, an area of the Pacific Ocean that represents 1% of the globe's surface and is home to the world's largest condensation of marine fauna (around 3,000 species of fish in the Philippines alone). Clownfish, starfish, seahorses and a host of small, colorful fish are among the most easily observed. Pearl oysters are harvested in the Sulu archipelago, from which the brilliantly lustrous Sulu pearls are extracted. Dolphins, giant sea turtles and manta rays, up to 3 meters long, reign majestically in these deep waters. Among the most impressive is the whale shark. Up to 14 meters long, it's the largest fish in the world (yes, the whale is a mammal), and to the delight of diving enthusiasts, it's totally harmless and can be easily observed at Donsol, south-east of Luzon. The dugong, with its curious appearance, is the only herbivorous marine mammal living in the archipelago's waters. It feeds exclusively on algae and plankton. Until the 1970s, all the country's islands had herds of dugongs in their waters, but fishing accidents and the increase in plastic waste, which the dugong mistook for food, almost wiped them out, and today only a few individuals still swim off Palawan and Mindanao. The dugong has become the country's first legally protected marine animal, but it is still one of the most endangered species.
Abundant vegetation
The flora of the archipelago is particularly varied. The forest would cover today less than 30 % of the territory (against 75 % at the beginning of the XXth century). It is the impenetrable jungle in which the various ethnic groups took refuge as the invasions progressed, wanting to remain apart from society. The intensive regression of the forest cover, due to human activities, is considered very worrying since with it disappear many species of animals, among others. Tropical forests, mountain forests with native fir trees in northern Luzon, numerous mangroves and swamps contain more than 10,000 different species of trees and plants. The endemic species are numerous. The narra (Pterocarpus indicus), a species of mahogany with a noble and hard wood that can reach 35 meters in height, is considered the national tree. It is used for furniture and decorative sculptures. The imposing mango trees are in an ideal environment to grow and give greedy fruits. There are also beautiful orchids in the forests, of which there are hundreds of species. The most famous one, Vanda sanderiana, is native to the forests of Mindanao. Known as waling-waling in the Philippines, it is also endangered in its natural state and has been declared a "national flower" along with the Sampaguita. It is a white and yellow jasmine flower with which necklaces are made as offerings to religious statutes as a guide to respect. Below 1,000 meters, bamboo and coconut trees shade the plains. Nipa palms and rattan grow wild everywhere; you will also notice many fruit trees such as papaya trees, jackfruit trees, durian trees, banana trees and abacas. Coconut and sugar cane plantations stretch as far as the eye can see.
Biodiversity in danger and initiatives
Biodiversity in the Philippines is both a source of wonder, because it is so rich, unique and grandiose, and a source of concern, because the number of species on the verge of extinction is increasing every year. Admittedly, compared with other countries such as Costa Rica or certain European countries, which are implementing policies to preserve their environment and biodiversity, the Philippines is lagging a little behind, and conservation initiatives are taking a long time to get off the ground. However, they are not non-existent, and let's cite for example the government's decision to close the island of Boracay in 2018 for two years in order to restore the island that had suffered too much from mass tourism. Or the Arbor Day law of 2012, which stipulates that every Filipino child, aged 12 or over, must plant a tree every year. In addition, there are already a large number of conservation organizations and foundations (Waves for Water, Greenpeace, Forest Foundation...). The Philippines also boasts more than 240 protected areas (national parks, nature reserves, etc.). These include the Unesco-listed Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park, Mount Apo Park and Mayon Volcano Park. We can only hope that awareness continues to grow, that initiatives continue to flourish and that responsible tourism develops further, so that we can enjoy all that Philippine nature still has to offer, without disturbing it.
