Palawan Islands is called the Philippines' "Last Ecological Frontier" because the islands in the province abound with natural resources akin to an unexplored frontier. The province has a very diverse array of animals and plants in its terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Its marine waters are highly productive that can supply more than 50 percent of the seafood requirements of Metro Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. This volume is contributed significantly by its extensive coral reefs of the province at about 11,000 square kilometers, representing more than 35% of the Philippines' coral reefs (Department of Agriculture, 2011).

 

Visitors call the province a "paradise on earth" because of its beautiful sceneries, bountiful natural resources and high level of animal and plant life endemicity. According to recent estimates, there are 232 endemic species in the province. Endemic species are animals and plants that are peculiar only to Palawan and could not be found anywhere else. Because of this, the province was declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)(Department of Agriculture, 2011).

 

Palawan's Wildlife

 

Despite frequent visits by wildlife researchers, many of Palawan's wildlife are still undiscovered in the many pristine ecosystems of the province for many years. In 2009, for example, a new species of giant, rat-eating pitcher plant and sundew were discovered in Mt. Victoria in central Palawan. 

 

Notable wild plants and animals can be found only in the wilderness of Palawan. Even just along the road, you will get to see beautiful flowers of wild plants. For photographers who like wild life, the roadside is a rich source of probably an undiscovered plant or animal. That is, if you are keen enough to notice things which others cannot easily discern.

 

If you happen to visit the far south, you will see a rare with unique qualities. This tree was named tabulian by the Palaw'ans, an indigenous group in Barangay Culasian of Rizal municipality. It only grows in selected places in southern Palawan.  The tree can withstand termites, fire, and extreme weather conditions. I wrote about this tree here. 

 

Balabac Island, in the far southernmost end of Palawan, is home to the endemic Balabac mouse deer. Its probably century old mangroves are awesome. It will take 4 to 5 people to encircle the trunk of the tree. I took a picture of my students during our trip there and I asked them to wrap their arms around the tree. See how big it is below.

 

In the hinterlands, the Palawan bear cat prowls the forests at night. And of course in Aborlan, while riding a van, jeep or bus, you can smell the familiar pungent odor even through an aircon van that can kill a horse. This is coming from the exudants of "pantot" or Palawan skunk. In Taytay north of Palawan Island, you may encounter the flying squirrel, or experts say, should be correctly referred to as the flying lemur. Crocodiles, aside from those found in the Crocodile Farm in Irawan, are found in the less frequented rivers lined with mangroves. However, they are in very small populations in the wild because of hunting pressure in the past. During the breeding periods from March to May, crocodiles may be active and more visible. Crocodiles of the species Crocodylus porosus or saltwater crocodiles are territorial animals. Thus, intruding into their habitat during the breeding season can be dangerous. In Rio Tuba in the municipality of Bataraza, for example, a crocodile attacked a fisherman and mangled him to pieces. Generally, however, crocodiles are shy and would avoid humans as much as possible.