I was really happy to learn about it because of an article in MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR several days ago.
Imagine, 70 percent of the Philippine inventory of endemic bird species have been confirmed to be living in the Mount Talomo-Pangigan area. Results rom a recent study conducted by the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. (PEF) revealed that the watershed is home to at least 124 bird species as studied in a series of field surveys conducted from 1997-2012.
The Philippines has currently 169 endemic bird species on record., 45 of which are only found in Mindanao. According to the report, 66 of the 124 species which were covered by the research study are Philippine endemic, while 24 of them are Mindanao endemic. This led the study authors to conclude that the watersheds hold an "impressive" percentage of local avian fauna.
Interface Development Interventions, Inc. Executive Director Ann Fuentes said that this significant find underscored the importance of Davao's watersheds in protecting and sustaining a rich biodiversity of organism that can only be found in the Mindanao region.
Other than the Philippine Eagle, the report also identified that the Tarictic of Mindanao hornbill, Penelopides panini, is the second most threatened bird in the watersheds due to illegal pet trade and because it also being hunted for food. Dwindling forest cover has contributed much to the decline of the local populations.
The Talomo-Panigan watershed areas along with the adjacent Lipadas, are the sites of aquifers which provide the current and future supply for Dabawenyos.
In 2010, the department of Tourism has announced that bird watching tours are becoming an emerging option in Philippine tourism. As a biodiversity hotspot, the Philippines has over 600 bird species with a high concentration of bird species per kilometer.
