Top 10 Most Critically Endangered Species Philippines

If creation started with a pair of all-naked Adam and Eve that was botched with a talking snake, then certain species in the Philippines are slowly approaching that point in their existence. About to be decimated to extinction and being reduced to but a few pairs. Only thing it’s the forebears of Adam that’s wrecking havoc, and nobody’s talking about it – not even a snake.

Most certainly, we’ve all heard about the plight of the dinosaurs, of the mighty T-Rex and the whole gang of giant reptiles who were erased in the face of the Earth. Though that may come as a giant relief to you and certainly to all of us (we’ve be smothered in no time with them colossal beings running around), that is also a big think for every Juan. It means we’re all expendables in the face of this Earth. More so, our most critically endangered species. The saddest thing is for most of these creatures, living with man seem to be their most unfortunate fate. As the case maybe, man – if unchecked – has become nature’s biggest enemy.

Friends, Pinoys, every Juan, presenting a special kind of Death Row: the Top 10 Animal Species about to be Wiped out in the face of Planet Philippines in specific and the Earth in general.

#10: PHILIPPINE CROCODILE
Lolong
Yes, if it had its way it may not hesitate in taking a chunk out of your limbs. Careful there!
But the opposite is true. Through the years, many of these Mindoro crocodiles – endemic only to the Philippines – have disappeared falling prey to relentless hunters. Mighty and dangerous may the Philippine Crocodile be, its hide is a prized catch, an expensive material for fashion accessories (e.g., bags, shoes).

So if you truly love our very own endangered animals, be wary of what you buy in those slick exclusive fashion bazaars!

Unlike the saltwater crocodile Lolong, said to be the world’s largest crocodile at 21 feet long weighing 1,075 kilos, Philippine Crocodiles also called as Mindoro Crocodile are much smaller growing 3 meters or less than 10 feet (almost half of Lolong).So it’s not the big saltwater crocs that are endangered, it’s their smaller cousins.

Scientific Name: Crocodylusmindorensis
Common Name: Philippine freshwater crocodile
Habitat: Mindoro, only about 100 left

#9:THE MINDORO BLEEDING-HEART
Mindoro Bleeding-heart
Its heart must be bleeding saddened by its fate.

Another species that is fighting for its very existence is the Mindoro Bleeding-heart, a type of ground dove with the unmistakable red markings on its chest. The sad reality is most, of its natural habitat has been cleared as majority, if not all, of the primary forests of Mindoro have been cleared.

Scientific Name: Gallicolumbaplatenae
Common Name:Kulo-kulo
Habitat: Mt. Siburan, Mindoro

#8:RUFOUS-HEADED HORNBILL
RUFOUS-HEADED HORNBILL
This bird with a lot of weight on its horn, is found only in the Philippines. Yes, you’re right. No other country has this mighty specie.

That fact alone should make us proud. Had it stayed that way. The thing is the Kalaw or rufous-headed is in an extremely rapid population decline or in plain English their numbers are dying. It’s a shame that we can’t take care of such a wonderful bird treasure.

Scientific Name: Aceroswaldeni
Common Name:Kalaw
Habitat: Panay, some part of Zamboanga del Norte, extinct in Guimaras

#7:HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE
HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE
Again here is a story of how a wonderful creature can be lost in the face of the Earth all because of human impact.
Distinguished for its narrow, pointed beak that earned it its name as “Hawk’s bill”, this medium-sized vegetarian of a turtle has been under heavy attack from humans in general, and Filipinos in particular who hunt them for their meat and for their shells which are prized material for many accessories in the fashion industry.

Scientific Name: Eretmochelysimbricata
Common Name:pawikan
Habitat: global

#6:RED-VENTED COCKATOO
Philippine Cockatoo
You can never mistake this 12 inch-long cockatoo made up of just two colors: white and red. Like a priest out to say Holy Massthis bird is all-white with red feathers around the vent.

Perhaps because of its strikingly-clean personality, the red-vented has become a victim of the cage-bird trade with a bird fetching as much as $160 in Manila. And that was in the late 90’s.

Scientific Name: Cacatuahaematuropygia
Common Name:Katala, Kalangay
Habitat: Palawan, only about 180 left

#5:PHILIPPINE FOREST TURTLE
PHILIPPINE FOREST TURTLE
This turtle may have gotten a misnomer as it is totally not endemic to the island of Leyte but only in the Palawan island group.

You can easily distinguish this land turtle by its ginkgo-shaped vertebral scutes (at its back). Also, a line which is colored pale white to yellow traverses across its head behind the ears.

They are prized as pets and ranks as one of the most commonly confiscated species in the Philippines with overseas buyers visiting the islands to collect them. However, sadly, the Philippine forest turtle do not do well in captivity making them avery vulnerable species.

Scientific Name: Siebenrockiellaleytensis
Common Name: Palawan turtle
Habitat: Palawan

#4:PHILIPPINE NAKED-BACKED FRUIT BAT
PHILIPPINE NAKED-BACKED FRUIT BAT
Size is not everything. Being the largest cave-dwelling bat in the whole archipelago measuring up to 220m in total length is no protection. Instead, the Philippine naked-backed fruit bat has attracted bad men, being hunted for its meat.

However by some twist of fate, this mega bat specie known for its naked appearance due to the wings attachment on the midline of their back, made an amazing recovery. Reported to be extinct in 1970’s, the night-flier known to very equipped at biting through hard-skinned fruits making them extremely unpopular to farmers, were rediscovered, though in small numbers by the 2000’s.

Fortunately, Cebu forests where this bat is endemic to is protected by law. Negros may do well to follow suit.

Scientific Name: Dobsoniachapmani
Common Name:kwaknit
Habitat: Cebu, Negros Island (very small numbers)

#3: VISAYAN WARTY PIG
VISAYAN WARTY PIG
It’s no secret Filipino love to eat pork. One of the major reason why this wild pig known for the 3 pairs of wart in its appearance has become so rare.

And to confound things up, the pig has as a subspecies the Cebu warty pig. Seems things are looking bleak for the boar as Cebu is the unofficial lechon capital of the Philippines.

Luckily, breeding programs for the specie are being undertaken in Rotterdam Zoo and San Diego Zoo.

Scientific Name: Suscebifrons
Common Name: Cebu warty pig, Negros warty pig
Habitat: Cebu, Panay, Negros Island

#2: TAMARAW
Bubalus mindorensis by Gregg Yan
The wild buffalo, a distant cousin of the carabao, has been grazing the land 12,000 years ago, long before there were any natives to disturb their peace – much less malls.

Today, however, the Tamaraw distinguished by its slightly smaller build and V-shaped horns as compared to the more docile carabao, holds its final stand in the rugged mountains of Mindoro. They are at the brink of extinction as only about 350 remain.

Scientific Name: Bubalus mindorensis
Common Name:Tamaraw
Habitat: Mindoro

#1: PHILIPPINE EAGLE
PHILIPPINE EAGLE
Truly a jewel of the Philippines, the Philippine Eagle also known as monkey-eating eagle is tagged as the national bird of the Philippines.

Though like a king of the forest this eagle is among the most powerful of birds with sights that are the stuff of legends, the Haribon has become one of the rarest. Foremost cause for this population decimation is habitat loss.

If you fancy catching the Philippine Eagle, think again. Killing one means you’d have to spend 12 years of your life in prison. Not to mention paying heavy fines.

Scientific Name: Pithecophagajefferyi
Common Name:Haribon
Habitat: Philippines

That’s it folks. For a more comprehensive list, please click here. This is not a hopeless case though. But certainly an uphill climb.

Let us take part in redeeming our future. In this regard, let us hear your plan for affirmative action in the comments section below. Nothing is impossible with a 100 million people working as one. Start by sharing this piece of information. I’ve provided the share buttons below for easy-sharing.

Truly, we don’t have to be great to start, but we have to start in order to be great!

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35 Responses

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  1. tingting says:

    Ang mga pawikan natin kinukuha lang ng mga insik wala tayong magawa! kawawa naman mga pong pagong!

  2. birdlover says:

    Am I the only one who saw that viral post about a son-in-law of a gov’t official proudly displaying his hunted RUFOUS-HEADED HORNBILL?

    Wish someday that idiot will be hunted too.

  3. dimdim says:

    karmahin sana ang mga gumagawa niyan!!!!!!! were supposed to be God steward of his creation!!! not the destroyer…

    • TopTen.ph says:

      We hear you dimdim.

      Oh well, if Ampatuan SR. got what he deserved (as if everyone of us won’t get to die eventually), then I’m more than certain time will come for those who prey upon our less fortunate wildlife.

  4. souper says:

    If sea turtles are so endangered, how come we can easily find them in top notch chinese restaurants?!

    • TopTen.ph says:

      Thanks for sharing souper! Unfortunately, we don’t have the best enforcement in the world so turtule soups and shark’s fin soup can be easily had in this country. Sad but true.

      I guess the best way we can help is to not patronize them?

  5. pilipinas kung mahal says:

    sana mga magnanakaw sa goberno nalang maging endangered! sayang naman ng mga hayop natin!

  6. tom ipon says:

    Poor philippine eagle shot dead! #1 on our list of endangered species and someone just shot it? http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/08/19/15/philippine-eagle-pamana-shot-dead

    dapat patayin din ang gumaya nito kung totoo man!

    • TopTen.ph says:

      Another one bites the dust Tom. We can only hope for the best for what’s rest of our endangered species given the “challenges” our country is facing.

  7. Crystal Jade C Lauzon says:

    kung poprotactahan natin lhat ng hayop hinde satin mawawala yan like pamana
    humihingi ng justice
    🙁 🙁

    • TopTen.ph says:

      Thanks for that Crystal and we couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately for us, there are more people (humans we can call them too) that need our attention, and of course, our amazing wildlife and biodiversity doesn’t give votes.

      It’s up to us to be vigilant and to push for protection from our gov’t whose of course, “busy”.

  8. john albert almanza says:

    pana tilihin po natin at padamihin ang mga edangered species na mga hayop….

  9. clarissa anne cajustin says:

    very informative! I can use these in teaching my pupils! thanks!

  10. Salvador Cordero says:

    Thank you for this website, now I learned so much and because of this my project are very informative…thanks…

  11. Abby says:

    Sana mlamn nila ang importansya ng mga hayop natin..

    • TopTen.ph says:

      We have to do our part by spreading this to people so they will know and hopefully they will help in taking action to preserve these.

  12. Ches says:

    Our animals are trademarks of our country how Filipinos took care of their own species. We don’t have enough fund to make new habitat for these animals but spreading this info will. Encourage each Filipinos to. Protect their own.

    • TopTen.ph says:

      No doubt about that Ches. Let’s hope the new administration of president DU30 will be relentless at those who are reckless to the future of our animal species as well as these poor animals can not defend themselves from the worst animals on this planet, humans.

  13. Eve says:

    u know wht why they are endagered animals bcoz some of them dont have a place to reproduced…. and they cant stay long to there place,,,,….

    • TopTen.ph says:

      That’s definitely one of the reasons Eve. That’s also why our butterfly population all over the country is sadly dwindling. 🙁

  14. minyen says:

    Hi! Just wanna’ ask.. Can I download the pictures and get some information here? It is for our project that we need to save the endangered species, especially here in the Philippines..Thank you very much..Hoping for a positive response. 🙂

  15. Hi, Topten! Thank you for sharing with us your pictures and Info’s about our most endangered animals. They will be of great help to me in making our classroom discussion interesting since they can see the pictures which can excite their critical thinking on how they (Six Graders) can help to support the campaign about our endangered animals.
    More power and God bless you even more!

    Ma K- 😉

    • TopTen.ph says:

      Thank you so much Ma K for dropping by and letting us know you appreciate our work, it means a lot to us! Best of luck in your mission to educate our future!

  16. jake mahinay says:

    thank you for sharing the top ten species that endangered in the Philippines ….

  17. Caehl Capiz says:

    Hi po! One thing. Please put a space po in between the genus and species names in the scientific names. Like sa poisonous plants?
    Example: Bubalus mindorensis for tamaraw

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