IUCN Management Category Biogeographical Province 4.26.13 Philippines

Geographical Location On the north-western tip of Busvanga mainland in the Province of Palawan. Access from Manila is by chartered plane or boat.

12°18.NLONGITUDE 119°54'E

Date and History of Establishment Declared a Game Preserve and Wild Animal Sanctuary by Presidential Proclamation No. 1578 on 31 August 1976.

Area 3,760ha

Land Tenure No information

Altitude No information

Physical Features Separated from northwest Busvanga Island by a narrow river fringing mangrove swamp which is flooded at high tide. The island topography ranges from flat lowlands to mountains. The northeast-southwest running mountain range separates two vast lowland plains and comprises the only watershed on the island. The soil is generally acidic and low in organic matter (humus). The climate is hot and humid with a mean annual rainfall of 2,683mm with distinct wet and dry seasons; wet mostly from May through December with a dry period from January through April. The mean annual temperature is 27.6C. Hunting by islands resident population is threatening the already reduced population of Calamian deer.

Climate No information

Vegetation Under Fosberg's classification scheme 6 formation classes have been defined. (1) The forest vegetation comprises Molave forest with Molave Vitex parviflora and narra Pterocarpus indicus dominant with panglomboien Syzygium simile, bitanghol Calophyllum blancoi and ipi Intsia bijuga as co-dominants; mangrove with bakawan Rhizophora mucronata and nipa Nypa fruticans and bamboo composed of almost pure stands of boho Schizostachyum lumampao. (2) Tall savanna has a patchy canopy of coconut Coco nucifera and a ground floor of tall grasses. (3) Evergreen broad-sclerophyll low savanna with a groundflora of short grasses. (4) Shrub savanna. (5) Tall grasslands of Panicum maximum and Themeda triandra or Imperata cylindrica. (6) Short grasslands of seasonal orthophyll meadows of Imperata cylindrica, Themeda triandra and Panicum maximum. For both formations Antidesma frutescens is the predominant tree species. Agaloos and Nepomuceno (1976) contains a checklist of plant species recorded during their survey; a total of 139 spp.

Fauna The 1976 survey recorded ll mammals, 61 birds, 6 reptiles and l amphibian species (listed in Agaloos and Nepomuceno, 1976). The most notable animal species on the island is the threatened endemic Calamian hog deer Cervus calamianensis. Other mammals include crab-eating macaque Macaca fascicularis, scaly anteater Manis javanica, Palawan stink badger Mydaus marchei, fruit bat Pteropus leucopterus and Javan pig Sus verrucosus, tree shrew Tupaia palawanensis and palm civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus. The avifauna includes several subspecies endemic to Palawan Province, including Palawan honey buzzard Pernis p. palawensis, Palawan fairy bluebird Irena puella tweeddalei, Palawan hornbill Anthracoceros marchei, Palawan long-tailed nightjar Caprimulgus m. macrurus and Palawan titmouse Parus amabilis. Reptiles include monitor lizard Varanus salvator, python Python peticularus and frog snake Natrix spilogaster and the one ampibian recorded was a common frog Rana sp.

Cultural Heritage No information

Local Human Population There are several coastal villages on the island, including Calavit and Quezon.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities No information

Scientific Research and Facilities A survey was conducted by the Forest Research Institute in 1977 to assess the suitability of the island as a pilot area for stocking with East African wildlife. Other research includes surveys in 1975 by Parkinson and Robinson and Werner (study of McCormick forest vegetation).

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management Partial

None at present

Management Constraints Uncontrolled burning of the extensive grasslands during the severe dry season is prevalent. This practice is detrimental to the soil, preventing the accumulation of organic humus and depleting nutrient levels, as well as destroying the vital forest cover of the islands watershed.

Staff No information

Budget No information

Local Addresses

No information

References

Agaloos, L. C. and Nepomuceno, P. M. (1977) Ecology of Calavit Island. Sylvatrop. Philippine Forest Research Journal 2(3) pp 163-178, Forest Research Institute. Includes species checklist.

Date No information