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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The El Nido IBA is at the northern tip of Palawan. It is included within the El Nido Marine Reserve, which covers 95,000 ha, much of which is marine but also includes a substantial area of land. Some extensive areas of old growth forest are shown on the low hills there on recent forest cover maps. There are reported to be extensive areas of forest on limestone (ironwood) and beach forest there.
Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Palawan Endemic Bird Area have been recorded in the El Nido area in the past, including the threatened Palawan Peacock-pheasant and Palawan Hornbill. The extensive lowland forests there are likely to prove to support substantial populations of many of these birds, and probably also some of the other threatened and restricted-range species of Palawan.
Non-bird biodiversity: The mammals and herpetofauna of this IBA are apparently unknown, but it is likely to support threatened endemic taxa. A diverse marine fauna occurs off the IBA, including threatened species such as green turtle Chelonia mydas, hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata, olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys olivacea, finless porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides and bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus.
The El Nido IBA is at the northern tip of Palawan. It is included within the El Nido Marine Reserve, which covers 95,000 ha, much of which is marine but also includes a substantial area of land. Some extensive areas of old growth forest are shown on the low hills there on recent forest cover maps. There are reported to be extensive areas of forest on limestone (ironwood) and beach forest there.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The areas logged on Palawan are relatively recent, and the majority of the forest within the closed canopy line is primary. Small-scale timber extraction and the operations of well-organised logging operations are hastening the depletion of the forest cover on the island.
The Ten Knots Development Corporation plans to develop the El Nido Resort for ecotourism, including birdwatching.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Ten Knots Development Corporation plans to develop the El Nido Resort for ecotourism, including birdwatching.
Surveys are required at El Nido, to investigate the current status of the threatened and restricted-range birds and other biodiversity there.
All of Palawan and associated islands are included in a Biosphere reserve, declared in 1990. An integrated management plan has been prepared for the whole Palawan Biosphere Reserve (ECAN), to zone the island, which incorporates the existing El Nido Marine Sanctuary and other protected areas. This IBA includes terrestrial core zone (primitive wilderness area strictly protected) and buffer zone (regulated use allowed) areas.
El Nido Managed Resource Protected Area was proclaimed by virtue of Proc. No. 32 on October 8, 1998. It covers a land area of 35,283.64 ha and a marine area of 53,847.57 ha. This IBA is one of the priority sites under the EU-DENR NIPAP.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: El Nido (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/el-nido-iba-philippines on 22/11/2024.
