Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The mountainous spine of Panay Island extends north to south for over 100 km along the border between Antique Province and Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo Provinces. There are several high peaks, including Mt Madja as (2,110 m) and Mt Nangtud (2,073 m) in the northern section, Mt Baloy (1,728 m) in the central section and Mt Inaman (1,585 m) at the southern end. The mountain range retains extensive forest cover, and has been proposed as the Central Panay Mountains National Park.
The main habitat is montane forest, including mossy forest at about 1,400 to 1,900 m, but there are some areas of lowland forest in the steeper gullies away from villages on the lower slopes between 200 and 900 m. In the northern section of the IBA, most vegetation on the western face of Mt Madja-as has been stripped below 1,000 m, with relatively unharmed vegetation above this altitude, although clearings for agriculture have been reported to reach 1,200 m or more in some places. The eastern face is in better condition from a lower elevation, although even here there may be little forest below c.700-900 m. In the central section of the IBA, there are some areas of lowland forest on the lower slopes, but much of this is degraded or has been replaced by secondary growth. However, there is one small valley near Mt Baloy where continuous forest reaches down to 200 m, and away from villages there are some other small forest patches in steeper gullies between 200 and 900 m, with denuded hillsides in between. The central section of the IBA includes Hamtang Forest (900-950 m), near Mt Balabag, which is a part of a contiguous primary montane forest above baranggay Nawali.
Most of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Negros and Panay Endemic Bird Area have recently been recorded in the Central Panay mountains. The forests on the lower slopes of the mountains support important populations of several of the lowland and lower montane specialists that are endemic to this EBA. The extensive montane forest of this IBA are also important, particularly because they include the entire range of Panay Striped-babbler, which is common in the mossy montane forests there. Several lowland forest species have important populations in Hamtang Forest (where surveys were carried out by PESCP in 1995-1996, the full details of which will be published shortly by Curio et al.) and presumably elsewhere, notably Visayan Hornbill, Writhed-billed Hornbill, Flame-templed Babbler and White-throated Jungle-flycatcher.
Non-bird biodiversity: This IBA supports an important population of the Philippine Spotted Deer Cervus alfredi, a Western Visayan critically endangered endemic of which only a few hundred survive. This is also the habitat of the gravely endangered Visayan Warty Pig Sus cebifrons and the critically endangered Panay Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat Crateromys heaneyi.
The mountainous spine of Panay Island extends north to south for over 100 km along the border between Antique Province and Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo Provinces. There are several high peaks, including Mt Madja as (2,110 m) and Mt Nangtud (2,073 m) in the northern section, Mt Baloy (1,728 m) in the central section and Mt Inaman (1,585 m) at the southern end. The mountain range retains extensive forest cover, and has been proposed as the Central Panay Mountains National Park.
The main habitat is montane forest, including mossy forest at about 1,400 to 1,900 m, but there are some areas of lowland forest in the steeper gullies away from villages on the lower slopes between 200 and 900 m. In the northern section of the IBA, most vegetation on the western face of Mt Madja-as has been stripped below 1,000 m, with relatively unharmed vegetation above this altitude, although clearings for agriculture have been reported to reach 1,200 m or more in some places. The eastern face is in better condition from a lower elevation, although even here there may be little forest below c.700-900 m. In the central section of the IBA, there are some areas of lowland forest on the lower slopes, but much of this is degraded or has been replaced by secondary growth. However, there is one small valley near Mt Baloy where continuous forest reaches down to 200 m, and away from villages there are some other small forest patches in steeper gullies between 200 and 900 m, with denuded hillsides in between. The central section of the IBA includes Hamtang Forest (900-950 m), near Mt Balabag, which is a part of a contiguous primary montane forest above baranggay Nawali.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Until recently, there appear to have been few encroachments into the forested areas in the Central Panay mountains, which have no indigenous people. It has been suggested that this is mainly because the presence of insurgents has prevented settlement. In 1992, the biggest threat was seen on the Antique side of the mountains, where perennial grass fires have steadily been eroding the edge of the forest, but widespread illegal commercial logging is also a problem. On the Iloilo and Aklan side many new kaingins were noted, and on the Capiz side, mining activities are causing forest loss.
There is heavy hunting pressure in this IBA, and regular trade in wildlife, including hornbills.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
It has been proposed that more vigorous enforcement of the law against illegal commercial logging, by the establishment and manning of guard stations at strategic transport routes could help minimise illegal logging.
There are active and well-meaning organisations in the area interested in participating in the protection of Mt Baloy, particularly Iloilo Mountaineering Club, which has been involved in DENR reforestation projects and organises treks to Mt Baloy almost every year.
PESCP (the Philippine Endemic Species Conservation and Research Project of the Frankfurt Zoological Society, conducted through the Animal Behaviour Research Group of Ruhr-Universität Bochum) carried out surveys in Hamtang Forest in 1995-1996, and is running education campaigns there.
It has been proposed that the government should prioritise the establishment of the Central Panay Mountains as a new national park.
Not officially protected.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Central Panay mountains (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/central-panay-mountains-iba-philippines on 26/12/2024.
