PHILIPPINE BIO-DIVERSITY

The Philippines, as we all know, is an archipelago which a close group of islands. Remarkably almost each island possesses its own eco-system. We share our home with a diverse range of flora and fauna, a few of which are found no where else in the world.

WHAT IS THE CORAL TRIANGLE?

The coral triangle is a large group of islands that

harbor and protect their coral eco-systems from

harm, comprised of several countries including our own. The other countries are: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and TimorLeste.

WITHIN THE CORAL TRIANGLE:

Lies more than 3,000 species of marine life, and the highest coral diversity in the world. From the largest fish, the whale-shark, to living fossils, the coelacanth.

We also have in our territory the second largest

coral reef system in the world, encompassing over 34 square kilometers. It is found within the waters of Occidental Mindoro, and consists of two atolls separated by a 30 meter deep channel.

CLIMATE
The Philippines, being a tropical country, possesses only two seasons: wet and dry. We also have rain forests mostly found in the larger land masses, namely Luzon and Mindanao.

TERRESTRIAL SPECIES
As with the abundant marine life, the wild life is just as diverse, all found within the remaining forests. Many of our native wildlife can be found nowhere else in the world hence the need for strict

protection.

ENDEMIC SPECIES
Are species that are specific to certain geological

location and found no where else. An example would

be our own Philippine tarsier or Kupal in vernacular.

FLORA
Aside from the abundance of wildlife,

plants have also made

their stake and have flourished despite the increase in destructive human activity. Our forests are still home to many rare species of

orchids, and not to

mention the Rafflesia.

FAUNA
Very much like other eco-systems, ours is similar in many ways, the only exception being that we do

not posses many large predators. The largest being

alligators and crocodiles. And our national bird, our largest bird of prey the Philippine Eagle.

ENDANGERED SPECIES
Sadly, even though we are blessed with the beauty of our land, we have taken all of it for granted. Believing

that we are the masters and consume anything without

consequence. Thus we have shamefully progressed as a nation, but have paid for it with countless innocent lives.

EXTINCTION

The end result of our abuse, the extinction of

thousands of still undiscovered species of plants and

animals. Some of them couldve been beneficial to us, while most of them wouldve made our country ever more precious.

CAUSES
Deforestation is just a symptom of a larger disease but is till one reason why our bio-diversity is dwindling.

The notorious kaingan system is one such practice

that must be stopped.

INDUSTRIALIZATION/MODERNIZATION
The main cause of destruction for our natural resources. In our thirst for advancement and greed for power and money, we always fail to look at the consequences the natural world would have to suffer from our actions. This has always been an area of frustration for me, our

blatant disregard for our own land has left me with very
little hope for our future. If the legacy we leave our children is a world filled with lifeless steel and concrete structures, oceans too toxic to support life, and where the only place where they can see and learn about plants and animals is in museums, then we are doomed.

BRANCHING FUTURES
The previous slide presented one possible outcome, thankfully