Call of Nature

Zoology Lecture Notes

2011-07-31T20:08:00.002-07:00

A. Philippine Crocodile (Philippine Freshwater crocodile)
1. Crocodylus mindorensis
2. Feeds on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and mollusks
3. Found in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Islands (Liguasan Marsh)

B. Saltwater Crocodile (Estuarine crocodile)
1. Crocodylus porosus
2. Saltwater crocodiles generally spend the tropical wet season in freshwater swamps and rivers, moving downstream to estuaries in the dry season, and sometimes traveling far out to sea.
3. Crocodiles compete fiercely with each other for territory, with dominant males in particular occupying the most eligible stretches of freshwater creeks and streams.
4. Junior crocodiles are thus forced into the more marginal river systems and sometimes into the ocean.
5. The saltwater crocodile is an opportunistic apex predator capable of taking nearly any animal that enters its territory, either in the water or on dry land. They are known to attack humans who enter the crocodiles' territory. A. Juveniles are restricted to smaller animals such as insects, amphibians, crustaceans, small reptiles, and fish.
B.The larger the animal grows, the greater the variety of animals it includes in the diet, although relatively small prey make up an important part of the diet even in adults. Large adult saltwater crocodiles can potentially eat any animals within their range, including monkeys, kangaroos, wild boar, dingos, goannas, birds, domestic livestock, pets, humans, water buffalo, gaurs, bats, and even sharks.

C. Philippine Kagwang (Philippine Flying Lemur)
1. Cynocephalus volans
2. Kagwang's diet consists mainly of fruits, flowers, buds and leaves
3. Found in Visayas and Mindanao
4. It is nocturnal

D. Philippine Bulbul
1. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests; on Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao for example it is abundant in any kind of primary forest at least between 500 and 2,250 m ASL
2. Hypsipetes philippinus

E. Golden Crown Flying Fox
1. Acerodon jubatus
2. They eat primarily figs, though will take other fruit if figs are unavailable. They have been reported to eat cultivated fruit, but this is relatively rare. Other fruits that may be eaten include: puhutan, lamio, tangisang, bayawak, bankal and strangler figs. Known as "The Silent Planter", they release seeds in their droppings, often while flying. This helps maintain the Philippine rainforest

F. Visayan Warty Pig
1. Sus cerbifrons
2. The Visayan Warty Pigs tend to live in groups of four to six. The diet of the pig mainly consists of roots, tubers, and fruits that can be found in the forest.. Because the land that is cleared for farming is often unproductive after a few years, the food sources of the Visayan warty pig are extremely limited, a factor that has contributed significantly to the pig’s dwindling numbers.

G. Visayan Spotted Deer
1. Cervus alfredi
2. Nocturnal
3. The species' range once covered the shoreline up to at least 2,000 m above sea level. Its habitat is in dense cogon grassland, and primary and secondary forest. Most of its habitat consists of areas where its diet of young shoots of cogon grass and young low-growing leaves and buds are plentiful
H. Bare back fruit bat (Dobsonia chapmani)
1. Inhabit tropical rainforest from sea level to 800 m above sea level and usually roosts in caves
2. This a fruit –eating bat found in Visayas Islands of Negros and Cebu

I. Philippine Eagle
1. Pithecophaga jefferyi
2. The Philippine Eagle is endemic to the Philippines and can be found on four major islands: eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao
3. The Philippine Eagle was known initially as the Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle because it was believed to feed on monkeys (the only monkey native to the Philippines is the Philippine long-tailed macaque) exclusively; this has proven to be inaccurate. The primary prey varies from island to island depending on species availability, particularly in Luzon and Mindanao. This is due to the islands being in different faunal regions. For example, Philippine flying lemurs, the preferred prey in Mindanao, are absent in Luzon.[5] The primary prey for the eagles seen in Luzon are monkeys, birds, flying foxes, giant cloud-rats Phloeomys pallidus which can weigh twice heavy than flying lemurs 2 to 2.5 kg and reptiles such as large snakes and lizards. The eagles prefer flying lemurs and Asian Palm Civets, but they occasionally eat small mammals, birds (owls and hornbills), reptiles (snakes and monitor lizards), and even other birds of prey. There have been reports of eagles capturing young pigs and small dogs. It is estimated that the flying lemur could make up 90% of the raptor's diet in some locations.

J. Panay Monitor Lizard
1. Varanus mabitang
2. It is a frugivore that lives in tropical rainforests
3. Endemic in Panay Island

K. Tamaraw
1. Bubalus mindorensis
2. Prefers tropical highland forested areas. It is typically found in thick brush, near open-canopied glades where it may graze and feed on grasses
3. A grazer that feeds on grasses and young bamboo shoots although it is known to prefer cogon and talahib (Saccharum spontaneum)

L. Philippine Mouse Deer (Pilandok)
1. Tragulus nigricans
2. It is a solitary nocturnal animal, feeding on leaves, flowers and other vegetation in the dense forest undergrowth. During the day, it stays in the forest and avoids movement.

M. Philippine cockatoo
1. Cacatua haematuropygia
2. They feed on seeds, and, to a lesser extent, on fruits, flowers, buds and nectar. The species is very adaptable and even forages on crops, particularly rice, when half-ripe, and corn, hence becoming regarded a pest.

N. Philippine tarsier
1. Tarsius syrichta
2. Primarily insectivorous, its diet consists of live insects and it has also been observed to feed on spiders, small crustaceans, and small vertebrates such as small lizards and birds. Tarsius syrichta preys on live insects, particularly crickets and grasshoppers

O. Philippine Hornbill
1. Buceros hydrocorax
2. Live in tropical rainforests and usually feeds on fruits

P. Calamian Deer (Calamian Hog Deer)
1. Hyelaphus calamianensis
2. Usually feeds on grasses and leaves

Q. Palawan Porcupine
1. Hystrix pumila
2. This species also prefer caves, but are commonly found under tree buttresses or in rock crevices.It is an endemic species restricted in the Palawan Faunal Region
3. Feeds on plants

R. Philippine wild duck
1. Anas luzonica
2. Common in areas where marshes are located
3. Feeds on small reptiles and amphibians, mollusks

S. Dwarf goby
1. Pandaka pygmaea
2. This species feeds on plankton
3. A freshwater fish species

T. Philippine Sailed Finned Lizard
1. Hydrosaurus pustulatus
2. They feed on leaves and small mammals and reptiles. Part of their diet is small aves.

Monkey-Eating Eagle

2011-02-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Pithecophaga jefferyi, also known as the Great Philippine Eagle or Monkey-eating Eagle, is among the rarest, largest, and most powerful birds in the world. Endemic in the forested areas in the Philippines. Local name include Agila, Haring Ibon, and banog. The Philippine Eagle was first called the monkey-eating eagle because of reports from natives of Bonga, Samar where the species was first discovered that it preyed exclusively on monkeys. But later on, studies revealed that they also eat other animals such as colugo, monitor, lizards, large snakes, and hornbills.

Philippine crocodile

2011-02-25T02:07:00.001-08:00

Crocodylus mindorensis, also known as the Mindoro crocodile and the Philippine freshwater crocodile. Growing no more than 3 meters, they have a relatively broad snout and thick bony plates on its back(heavy dorsal armor). Females are slightly smaller than males. Philippine crocodiles are golden-brown in color, which darkens as it matures. This species of crocodile is one of the most severely threatened species around. There are probably less than 100 non-hatchling Philippine crocodiles surviving in the wild.

The Philippine crocodile have been found in Samar, Jolo, Negros Island, Masbate, and Busuanga. There are still surviving population in the Northern Sierra Madre National Park, San Mariano, Isabela, Dalupiri island in the Babuyan Islands, and Abra (province) in Luzon and Ligawasan Marsh in Mindanao.

What is Philippine Kagwang?

2011-02-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

Some cultures somewhere in visayas and in Mindanao region used the term " Kagwang". Just like scolding their children and said " Kagwang ka!" But what is really a Kagwang?

Meet the kagwang in the above picture. It's commonly called as flying lemur (Cynocephalus volans). But there is other species too. Although called a flying lemur, it cannot fly and is not a lemur. The Philippine Flying Lemur is one of the two species of the order Dermoptera. The other species is the Sunda Flying Lemur. The Philippine Flying Lemur is arboreal and usually resides in primary and secondary forests. However, some wander into coconut, banana and rubber plantations. They are considered pests, since they eat fruits and flowers and so, are hunted down by humans. I've seen one when we climb on the mountains of Mt. Candalaga.

What is Philippine bulbul?

2011-01-20T01:09:00.000-08:00

Philippine bulbul is a species of songbird that belongs to Pycnonotidae Family They are endemic in the Philippines particularly in the moist lowland in the tropical and sub tropical forest mountains. They settle in a particular territory and the "bird song" serves as a mode of communication or signal for their location and for mating. As long as the forest are still there, they continue to be a least concern or not a threatened species.

Protect our Reef

2011-01-13T04:26:00.000-08:00

2007 Samal Island

Life forms underwater have enough space for them to live and grow. But some of the organisms have difficulty in propagating and many were already dead. A very important example is the coral reef. Many of us don't understand the need to protect these animals. Well, some still thought that they are plants because they don't move. Basically, they provide shelter for numerous marine organisms and also breeding ground among fishes. So imagine being homeless if your house was destroyed!
Corals have symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, a marine algae. This microalgae is photosynthetic which is beneficial to a coral polyp for oxygen supply while corals in return provide carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Now, who killed them the most? Global warming can increases sea water levels and may result to less access of sunlight for the zooxanthellae to perform photosythesis. As a result, the corals will die and bleach. Although there are other stress effects of climate change to coral reef but I would like to point human as being the source of destruction. This will include: Uncontrolled emission of Greenhouse gases, illegal fishing, and fun diving (I've seen many divers stepped into the branches of corals and destroyed them).

People should understand that time is running out. We should act together and save the coral reef ecosystem.

Mountain to Climb : Mt. Candalaga

2011-01-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

We all know that Apo is the highest peak in the Philippines and many climbers would consider themselves being extraordinary after reaching the top. But I'm sorry to say that Apo is way too easy compared to the great mountains of Maragusan. Its name is Mt. Candalaga. Sounds feminine..lol! Well, some people said that it looks like a lady when you're looking at its panoramic view. Strength and conditioning is needed before you climb. This is no joke! You'll be climbing for your life and your heart will be tested. The starting point is rope course with a very difficult terrain. Several layers of waterfalls will be encountered before reaching the first camp. A single mistake while going up would mean something. Urgh! or Ahh! Anyway, I will not be giving detailed info for now but i will just post some photos. And wait! In this jungle, you can see the world's biggest flower.

For more info, native stories, and pics about this mountain, please email me dongretch@gmail.com