Mt. Apo Natural Park
Year of Declaration: | 1984 |
Area (hectares): | 64,052.59 |
Area and Location: |
Region 12: City of Kidapawan and Municipalities of Makilala and Magpet, Province of Cotabato; Region 11: Municipalities of Bansalan and Sta. Cruz and City of Digos, Province of Davao del Sur; and the City of Davao.
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Description: |
Country’s highest mountain at 3,143.6 meters; dormant volcano; on its upper slopes are hundreds of sulphur vents; last stronghold of the remaining population of the rare and endangered Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi); an important watershed and one of the Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines.
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Habitat Types: |
Waterfalls; rivers and creeks; mountain lakes; lowland forests to low montane forest; high montane forest; summit or scrub forest
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Unique Flora: |
Dipterocarp species like lauan (Pentacme contorta), apitong (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus), and guijo (Shorea guiso); Syzygium species; epiphytes (orchids) which include the waling-waling (Euanthe sanderiana); Ericaceae and Rhododendron; almaciga (Agathis philipinensis); manggachapui (Vatica manggachapui); Nepenthes sp.
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Unique Fauna: |
Philippine eagle; abukay (Cacatua haematopygia); Mindoro scops owl (Otus mirus); lesser eagle owl (Mimizu kugurneyi); Mindanao lorikeet (Tricoglosus johnstoniae); writhed hornbill (Aceros leucocephalus); and Philippine brown deer (Cervus marianusapoensis).
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Ecotourism Destination and Activities: |
Lake Agco (The Blue Lake) and Lake Venado, famous campsites for mountaineers and a stopover towards the peak; Lakes Maag and Jordan found in the summit; the most scenic waterfalls (Tudaya, Mabbu and Tagibaka); hot springs; seven indigenous groups living at the lower slopes of the mountain which they consider as sacred ground and their ancestral domain; orchid farms and gardens; Buddhist and To temples; and hiking trails.
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Biological Richness: | • 800 species of flora • 629 vascular and non-vascular species • 572 ferns and angiosperms • 57 bryophytes or mosses • 37 species with economic value • 378 species of fauna • 53 species of mammals • 272 species of birds • 17 species of amphibians • 36 species of reptiles |