Wild Animals in Palawan
Horned Frog (Megophrys ligayae)
The Palawan horned frog (Megophrys ligayae) above is listed as endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). I found the above featured juvenile (about 3 cm long) along the sloping margins of Iwahig river amongst a pile of leaves and twigs. The horned frog...
Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophila)
Is the mangrove snake another candidate for extinction?
Two decades back, while our research team surveyed several mangrove-lined rivers for crocodiles, the mangrove snake, blunt-headed tree snake or the gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga dendrophila), locally known as binturan,...
Cobra-Like Frog
In August 2009, this cobra-like frog was found hiding amongst the litter when it was discovered by Jun, a laborer we hired to dig some holes to erect a fence next to our home in Puerto Princesa. Jun thought it was a cobra with part of its body embedded in the soil. We were a little bit wary of this...
Balabac Mouse Deer (Tragulus nigricans)
The small mouse deer of Balabac is known in literature as chevrotain. The chevrotain does not have in any way a semblance to the deer family Cervidae but a separate Chevrotain family for groups of mammals that in French literally means “little goat”. They are more related to goats than deer.
The...
Bearcat (Arctictis binturong whitei)
The Palawan bearcat or binturong is one of Palawan's seldom encountered animals. This is because it is active at night. Despite the infrequent encounters, the bearcat population appears to decline because of the pressure of hunting; for meat, as pets, for its fur as well as medicinal uses. It is...
Bearded Pig (Sus barbatus ahoenobarbus)
Migrant settlers settling and engaging in slash-and-burn farmin in the forested areas of Palawan had a hard time with the wild pigs (local name: baboy damo) feeding on and destroying their cassava crops in the process. To prevent further damage, the farmer settlers devised “pig bombs”...
Dwarf Otter (Amblonyx cinerea cinerea)
My first encounter with the otter was when I was working in a crocodile conservation facility in Palawan at Irawan. Somebody from south Palawan brought an otter about two feet in length and placed it on a tub for us to see. I did not know that the otter is, in fact, difficult to encounter in the...
Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes nigripes)
Some animals evolve remarkable features in order to adapt to its environment, increase its chance to survive, or just plain convenience. For some animals, features are developed allowing them to make life easier for them. Among these animals is the Palawan flying squirrel.
Although the flying...
Mongoose (Herpestes brachyurus parvus)
Many people think that snakes are immune to predation by other animals. This may be because many snakes are venomous and the large ones like pythons can crush their enemies with their strong grip. This viewpoint is further reinforced by films like the Anaconda that portrays large snakes as almost...
Chubby Frog (Kaloula pulchra)
Chubby frogs are so named because of their chubby bodies. They have a large rounded body as if run over by a truck. During rainy days, the chubby frogs gather in great numbers; croaking noisily together, broadcasting their presence to each other hoping to attract a mate. The noise they generate for...
Spitting Cobra (Naja miolepis)
Just a week ago, a snake silently slithers its way through the bermuda grass towards a pile of stones used to landscape our lawn. Alarmed, my brother-in-law trapped its tail with a sturdy piece of stick and blurted out "cobra". I got out and saw the cobra instinctively rear its head while expanding...
Scaly Anteater or Pangolin (Manis culionensis)
Photo courtesy of Alejandro Bernardo, Jr.
I could not help it but get awed by the Palawan pangolin or scaly anteater (Manis culionensis) upon encountering it walking slowly but consistently under the clearing of our uncleared homelot, about seven kilometers away from downtown Puerto Princesa. A...
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Crocodylus porosus or the saltwater crocodiles can be found in Palawan's mangrove-lined rivers. These species of crocodiles are man-eating when fully mature, some of them growing to as much as 18 feet long in Quinlogan, Quezon, Palawan. Several people in various parts of Palawan, most of them...
Skunk (Mydaus marchei)
If you travel south of Palawan, you will detect the presence of the Palawan skunk (earlier literature referred to it as Suillotaxis marchei, more recently its scientific name is Mydaus marchei) because of the Palawan skunk's characteristic pungent smell. The Palawan skunk emits a very...
Porcupine (Hystrix pumila)
My first encounter with the Palawan porcupine (earlier referred to as Thecurus pumilus, later Hystrix pumila) was in captivity in one of the pens of Crocodile Farm in Barangay Irawan, Puerto Princesa. The Palawan porcupine hides itself inside a makeshift shed and brandishes its long...
Shrew (Tupaia palawanensis)
Image Source
*Note: the picture above is not an actual picture of the Palawan shrew. It is Tupaia glis.
A little known mammal, the Palawan tree shrew (Tupaia palawanensis palawanensis) is an antisocial animal, as it would prevent even its own kind from entering its...
Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)
Almost always, the common tree frog (Polypedates leucomystax) makes its way into houses looking for refuge in unlikely places. The common tree frog is not really that common compared to the more ubiquitous frogs that croak when the rains come. The tree frog can be...
Tree Squirrel (Callosiurus juvencus)
The tree squirrels, locally called “bising”, are common in many forested parts of the Province of Palawan. The squirrel's noisy chattering in the early mornings can make one get up and see those jerky movements. Squirrels jump from one branch to another, finding their...
Scops Owl (Otus fuliginosus)
I encountered the Palawan scops owl (Otus fuliginosus) at least in two locations: one at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) and at Baker's Hill, Palawan. In the forests, especially in remote barangays, I could only hear the guttural sound the Palawan scops owl...
Red-throated Skink (Acritoscincus sp.)
This red-throated skink of the genus Acritoscincus was found in the elevated and forested portions upstream of Balsahan River in Iwahig, Puerto Princesa City, a few hundred meters away from the Balsahan swimming pool. It may be of the species platynotum because the skink...
Mud Lobster (Thallasina anomala)
Image Source
Scouring the mangrove forest at low tide, a mound of mud a few meters away from the river can be observed. It is a mountain of mud with volcano-like holes on it. These mounds were built by the mud lobster or Thallasina. The mud lobster is buried deep inside the mound excavating...
Wild Plants in Palawan
Tabulian
Tabulian is a rare tree species found in Sitio Tabulian-Tabulian in Barangay Culasian, Rizal, Palawan at the southern portion of Palawan. According to a native Palaw'an, there are only 50 mature...
Poison Tree (Barringtonia asiatica)
It is amazing how traditional knowledge can endure the test of time. Despite modern approaches to cure man's ills, herbal medicine by local folks persisted through generations. And many of these...
Cannonball Mangrove (Xylocarpus granatum)
The cannonball mangrove or monkey puzzle nuts (Xylocarpus granatum) is a familiar mangrove species found in the inner sections of rivers all over Palawan shores. Its fruits are just like a...