Data Zone
Country/territory: Philippines
IBA criteria met: A1, A2 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 10,000 ha
Site description (2001 baseline)
Culion (45,600 ha) is the second largest of the Calamian group, to the north of Palawan. It retains patches of open canopy broadleaf lowland forest, consisting of small to medium sized trees on poor soil. These are found both along the ridges and on flat areas.
Key biodiversity
Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area were recently recorded on Culion, including the threatened Philippine Cockatoo, Blue-headed Racquet-tail and Palawan Hornbill. The reports of Palawan Peacock-pheasant there are surprising and require confirmation.
Non-bird biodiversity: Mammals recorded in this IBA include bearded pig Sus barabatus and the endangered endemic Calamian hog-deer Axis calamianensis. The waters off Culion are known to support a population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. The rare Palawan-endemic Philippine discoglossid frog Barbourula busuangensis is found in this IBA. Mammals recorded in this IBA include bearded pig Sus barabatus and the endangered endemic Calamian hog-deer Axis calamianensis. The waters off Culion are known to support a population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. The rare Palawan-endemic Philippine discoglossid frog Barbourula busuangensis is found in this IBA.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Culion Island (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/culion-island-iba-philippines on 22/11/2024.