Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park - The refuge of the Tamaraw
| Year of Declaration: | 1984 |
| Area (hectares): | 75,445 |
| Area and Location: |
Covers 75,445 hectares and is found on the island of Mindoro, about 130 kilometers south of Manila.
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| Description: |
Only place in the world where one can find the biggest remaining population of the tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis); features Mt. Baco (2,488 meters above sea level) and Mt. Iglit or “Fungso Mangibok” (2,364 masl), where the most number of tamaraws roam. The Mangyan is the dominant indigenous group in the area and depend directly on Mts. Iglit-Baco for their food and livelihood.
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| Habitat Types: |
Major habitat types are grassland and evergreen forest.
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| Unique Flora: |
Though dominated by grasslands, unique species include the Mindoro pine (Pinus merkusii) and the endangered Jade vine.
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| Unique Fauna: |
Aside from the critically endangered tamaraw, other unique species include Mindoro imperial pigeon (Ducula mindorensis); Mindoro tarictic hornbill (Penelopides mindorensis); Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon (Galliculumba platenae); Mindoro scops owl (Otus mindorensis); Mindoro rusa deer (Cervus marianus barandanus); and Mindoro forest mouse (Apomys gracilirostris Ruedas).
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| Ecotourism Destination and Activities: |
Visitors can go tamaraw watching, bird watching and mountain climbing. Outside the park, the islands of Pandan Grande, Pandan Piqueno, and Apo Reef Natural Park provide excellent scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities.
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| Biological Richness: | • 63 species of plants • 104 species of birds • 11 species of snakes • 14 species of lizards • 9 species of amphibians • 10 species of fruit and insect bats • 2 species of large mammals belonging to the Order Artiodactyla |