Avifaunal survey of Capual Island, Sulu Province, Philippines
2006
Española, C.P
A survey of birds was conducted in Capual Island, Luuk in Sulu province. Three habitat types were investigated: 1)seacoast, 2) mangrove forest with associated swamps and fringing grassland, and 3) disturbed secondary forest with associated agricultural patches. Interviews with knowledgeable locals, mist-netting, and various bird search techniques were employed to yield an exhaustive avian species list. Of the 10 threatened species found in Sulu, four were recorded in Capual Island. A near-threatened species was also recorded. A total of 79 species were recorded of which 15 are new records for Sulu province. Fifty-six resident species, 11 migratory species, three near-endemic species, and nine Philippine endemic species were recorded. In the subspecies level, 38 are endemic to the Philippines and 10 are endemic to the Sulu archipelago. Habitat destruction due to unsustainable 'kaingin' and logging constitutes the gravest threat to wildlife and its habitat in Capual Island. Hunting and wildlife trade also directly threaten wildlife in the island. The conduct of bird surveys across seasons for an entire year is recommended to obtain a more complete list of birds for Capual Island. Biodiversity surveys covering other vertebrae and invertebrate taxa are also needed. Information and education campaigns on the environment should be intensified in all sectors and an integrated plan must be drafted. Finally, ex-site conservation breeding of endangered and/or endemic animals must be discussed as an urgent next step.
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