Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on or near to Mt Balatukan, mainly during a collecting expedition to nearby Civoleg and Daggayan in 1961. There are several recent records of Philippine Eagle from the vicinity of the mountain, and it is likely that the forests there support a significant population of this critically endangered bird. The extensive montane forests in the IBA are likely to prove to be important for many more species of conservation concern. A subspecies of Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Ficedula hyperythra daggayana is only known from Daggayan.

Site description Mt Balatukan is in eastern Misamis Oriental Province, in north-eastern Mindanao. It rises steeply to a long ridge with several peaks of almost 2,000 m and one of 2,442 m. The mountains retain extensive forest cover, and old growth forest is estimated to cover 6,500 ha. This is mainly montane forest, including mossy forest. The extent of primary lowland forest has been greatly reduced by logging and kaingin activities, and in 1997 this forest type was reported to be almost absent from the mountain. There are some areas of residual forest and cogon grassland.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Habitats

Other biodiversity There have been no surveys of the mammals on the mountain, but it may support many of the endemic Mindanao species which occur at high elevations.

Management considerations The forests on the southern portion of the Mt Balatukan range above Claveria were cleared by a logging company, MAC International Development, Inc., prior to the suspension of their timber license (TLA No. 349) in 1989. The main threats to the remaining forests are timber extraction and the conversion or clearing of forest for permanent agricultural and kaingin. Wildlife hunting and rattan gathering are also widespread.

Protection status The CENRO offices of Gingoog City and Cagayan de Oro City have proposed the Mt Balatukan range for protection as a Natural Park under the NIPAS.

Conservation response Destructive floods in Gingoog City in 1964 and 1979 spurred the citizens to campaign for the protection of the remaining forests on Mt Balatukan. Thus, in August 1989, the Tourism and Cultural Development Council of Gingoog City initiated a campaign (through Resolution No. 4) for the DENR to declare Mt Balatukan a national park. In 1993, the Sangguniang Panglunsod filed another Resolution (No. 33, series 1993) requesting the then DENR Secretary Angel C. Alcala, to declare the area a national park. This was also endorsed by Sen. Heherson Alvarez by filing Senate House Bill No. 26276. This bill is still being reviewed. The CENRO offices of Gingoog City and Cagayan de Oro City have now proposed the Mt Balatukan range for protection as a Natural Park under the NIPAS. A Local NGO (a mountaineering group) called Kaplag, which is based in Gingoog City, is actively involved in the conservation of the forested areas inland of Gingoog, including this IBA. Surveys are required in this IBA, to investigate both the extent and quality of the remaining habitats and the current status of the threatened and restricted-range birds and other biodiversity.

References Haribon Foundation (1998).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mount Balatukan. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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