amphibians and reptiles of MOUNT Busa

Much is known about the herpetofauna in the northern and central Philippines, leaving gaps for herpetological studies in the southern part of the archipelago (see map below). The extensive works of E. H. Taylor on Mindanao herpetofauna in the 1920s, however, have greatly contributed to understanding the island’s herpetological diversity; but contemporary surveys have been largely limited by security reasons and logistical difficulties causing a dearth of the island’s herpetological information. Despite the high herpetological diversity in Mindanao island, only the northeast portion has been relatively studied. The herpetological diversity of the western and southern portions of the island are knowledge gaps needing urgent scientific and conservation attention. 


Funding

The project is supported in part by The Rufford Foundation, USAID Protect Wildlife Project, and Idea Wild.

Field samplings were conducted between July and August 2019, February 2020, and August 2020. These expeditions resulted in the identification of at least 68 species of herpetofauna, of which 28 species were amphibians and 40 species were reptiles. Around 65% are endemic to the Philippines. This estimate will likely change with integrative taxonomic studies, which is the target for my Ph.D. project!  This is the first comprehensive study of the amphibians and reptiles in Mt. Busa and in southern Mindanao, providing a glimpse of the herpetological community in the region. 

Conservation and Policy-Advocacy

An initial project report, with concrete conservation and management recommendations, was submitted to the DENR-CENRO Kiamba, Local Government Unit of Kiamba, and Mt. Busa Technical Working Group for crafting the Mt. Busa Local Conservation Area Management Plan.

The results of the project were used in the Protected Area Suitability Assessment of the Western Sarangani Watershed, which includes the Busa Mountain Range of Sarangani. The assessment report serves as the scientific basis for declaring the mountain range as a Protected Area. The bill was filed by Cong. Rogelio Pacquiao at the House of Representatives (House Bill 09055) in 2021.

Species Conservation Assessment (IUCN)

The data from this project helped inform the species conservation assessment under the IUCN Red List of the following Mindanao species: Pseudorabdion taylori (from DD to NT), Eutropis englei (from DD to LC), Brachymeles tiboliorum (still DD), Eutropis cuprea (new species, LC), Emoia ruficauda (from DD to LC), Draco mindanensis (from VU to NT), and Lycodon dumerilli (still LC).