Birds and mammals of the fragmented forests along the Anahawin River, Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park, Mindoro Island, Philippines

Two forest sites along the Anahawin River were studied for their avian and mammalian fauna. Both sites were inside Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park in Calintaan, Mindoro Occidental Province, Mindoro Island, Philippines. A total of 75 birds and 27 mammals were identified in both study sites. Endemicity was high with 44 Philippine endemics (29 birds and 15 mammals) recorded. Four out of the eight known Mindoro endemic mammals, and four out of the six Mindoro endemic birds were present in the study sites. The two sites were both covered with patches of secondary lowland rainforests that were surrounded by "parang" vegetation, "kaingin" and grasslands. The forest habitats around Mt. Iglit were heavily fragmented by indiscriminate logging and excessive slash and burn (kaingin) agriculture. Although the two sites differ in elevation and extent of forest cover, both sites had similar avian and mammalian composition. Among the Mindoro endemic species noted were the Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), Mindoro rat (Rattus mindorensis), Scarlet-collared Flowerpecker (Dicaeum retrocinctum), Mindoro Hornbill (Penelopide mindorensis), black-hooded Coucal (Centropus steerii and the Mindoro Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba platenae). There were 11 Mindoro endemic races of birds and two mammals and a total of 21 Mindoro endemic taxa. These include the Mindoro warty pig (Sus philippinensis oliveri), Mindoro brown deer (Cervus mariannus barandanus mindorensis), Philippine hawk-owl (Ninox philippinensis mindorensis), Colasisi (Loriculus philippinensis mindorensis) and Blue-crowned Racquet-tail (Prioniturus discurus mindorensis). The notable records were that of the two new undescribed species of mammals endemic to the island, namely the Mindoro "pallid" flying fox (Pteropus sp.) and the Mindoro forest mouse (Apomys sp.). Some 16 threatened species of birds and mammals were also observed. These include nine threatened Philippine endemic birds (including four Mindoro endemics) and seven mammals, all vulnerable to habitat loss and severe over-hunting