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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
The extensive Mt Apo range lies at the meeting point of Davao City and the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The Mt Apo National Park includes two high peaks, Mt Apo, which is the highest in the Philippines at 2,954 m, and Mt Talomo (2,674m). Mt Talomo is an extinct volcano, but Mt Apo, though appearing dormant, has numerous vents producing steam and sulphurous gases. The northern and north-eastern slopes of Mt Apo and neighbouring mountains are gradual, but those on the west descend abruptly to the Cotabato Valley and those on the east abruptly to the lowlands of Davao. The south-eastern slope is bisected by the Marawin and Sibulan rivers. At 2,400 m there is a flat, plateau-like area of 6-7 km2 and a 500 m high cone. The north-eastern slopes of Mt Apo drain into the Davao and Talo rivers and their tributaries. Mt Apo is one of the wettest places in the Philippines, with a mean annual rainfall of c.2,500 mm.
The main natural habitats on Mt Apo are lowland dipterocarp forest, although this has mostly been cleared for cultivation, lower and upper montane forests, “elfin woodland”, scrub and summit grassland. Forest at and below 1,000 m has mostly been cleared, but there are remnants on the sides of ravines. The forest cover increases with elevation, and at 1,500 m extensive mossy forest begins, characterised by gnarled and twisted oak trees covered with moss and epiphytes. Mossy forest gives way to scrub and grassland at c.2,700 m. Some important areas of forest which lie outside the Mt Apo National Park are included in the IBA, for example the forests on Mt Makaindos in Barangay Libertad, and the forests in Barangay Imamaling and Don Panaca.
Six ethnic tribes live on the mountain, which is a sacred place for the Lumad tribal people and is their last remaining home. There are also large numbers of settlers present on the lower slopes of the mountain, who are reported to total 7,000 families occupying c.25,800 ha of the park. The spectacular scenery of Mt Apo makes it a popular destination for tourism, especially adventure tourism and mountaineering. The attractions of the mountain include hot springs and lakes, the sulphurous volcanic cone, Marbel River (which has milky white water) and several waterfalls.
Many of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on Mt Apo. The old Philippine Eagle centre at Baracatan was manned by resident ornithologists for many years and it remains a popular site for birdwatchers, and there are recent records of many of these birds from that part of the mountain. The population of Philippine Eagle on Mt Apo has been studied in detail since the 1960s, and it remains an important site for the conservation of this critically endangered species. It is one of only three sites where the poorly known Whitehead's Swiftlet has been recorded. Mt Apo still support substantial populations of many montane forest specialists, including several which are only known from a handful of the higher mountains on Mindanao, such as Slaty-backed Jungle-flycatcher, Red-eared Parrotfinch and Apo Myna. However, the lowland forests around the base of the mountains have been almost entirely cleared or degraded, and Mt Apo is unlikely to support significant populations of many of the lowland and mid-altitude forest specialists which formerly occurred there, such as Mindanao Brown-dove, Spotted Imperial-pigeon and Silvery Kingfisher.
Non-bird biodiversity: There are estimated to be more than 800 vascular plant species on Mt Apo, including some local endemics. Plants with direct economic use include ornamental species, especially orchids, begonias, aroids and ferns. Many of the mammals endemic to Mindanao have been recorded in the park.
The extensive Mt Apo range lies at the meeting point of Davao City and the provinces of Davao del Sur and North Cotabato. The Mt Apo National Park includes two high peaks, Mt Apo, which is the highest in the Philippines at 2,954 m, and Mt Talomo (2,674m). Mt Talomo is an extinct volcano, but Mt Apo, though appearing dormant, has numerous vents producing steam and sulphurous gases. The northern and north-eastern slopes of Mt Apo and neighbouring mountains are gradual, but those on the west descend abruptly to the Cotabato Valley and those on the east abruptly to the lowlands of Davao. The south-eastern slope is bisected by the Marawin and Sibulan rivers. At 2,400 m there is a flat, plateau-like area of 6-7 km2 and a 500 m high cone. The north-eastern slopes of Mt Apo drain into the Davao and Talo rivers and their tributaries. Mt Apo is one of the wettest places in the Philippines, with a mean annual rainfall of c.2,500 mm.
The main natural habitats on Mt Apo are lowland dipterocarp forest, although this has mostly been cleared for cultivation, lower and upper montane forests, “elfin woodland”, scrub and summit grassland. Forest at and below 1,000 m has mostly been cleared, but there are remnants on the sides of ravines. The forest cover increases with elevation, and at 1,500 m extensive mossy forest begins, characterised by gnarled and twisted oak trees covered with moss and epiphytes. Mossy forest gives way to scrub and grassland at c.2,700 m. Some important areas of forest which lie outside the Mt Apo National Park are included in the IBA, for example the forests on Mt Makaindos in Barangay Libertad, and the forests in Barangay Imamaling and Don Panaca.
Six ethnic tribes live on the mountain, which is a sacred place for the Lumad tribal people and is their last remaining home. There are also large numbers of settlers present on the lower slopes of the mountain, who are reported to total 7,000 families occupying c.25,800 ha of the park. The spectacular scenery of Mt Apo makes it a popular destination for tourism, especially adventure tourism and mountaineering. The attractions of the mountain include hot springs and lakes, the sulphurous volcanic cone, Marbel River (which has milky white water) and several waterfalls.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The biggest threat to Mt Apo National Park is the influx of settlers and kaingineros. Uncontrolled fires started to clear land for kaingins have burned portions of the forest. The construction of a geothermal plant and an associated road, illegal and indiscriminate logging and landslips have added to the rate of forest loss. Other pressures on the wildlife of the IBA include uncontrolled hunting and trapping.
In March 1983, 44,772 ha of the park were declared alienable and disposable (A and D) land with the justification that this was already under cultivation. This included the site of the Philippine Eagle Centre and the surrounding forests. Protests from the international community halted the implementation of the new law and, in June 1986, the Aquino Administration revoked it.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
In March 1983, 44,772 ha of the park were declared alienable and disposable (A and D) land with the justification that this was already under cultivation. This included the site of the Philippine Eagle Centre and the surrounding forests. Protests from the international community halted the implementation of the new law and, in June 1986, the Aquino Administration revoked it.
A Philippine Eagle Conservation Centre has been established on Mt Apo. See the Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi. See the species account in Collar et al. (1999) for further details.
The DENR Biodiversity Monitoring System was established in this IBA in 2000. The Obo Bagobo indigenous people have adapted the BMS as a tool to monitor the resource use and biodiversity of their ancestral land. As a result, the chieftain of the Obo Bagobo has issued ordinances on seasonal closure in hunting of wild pig and deer, and the MAMMATA Tribal Council has passed a resolution banning the cutting of trees, the gathering of rattan, hunting and kaingin farming in an area in Barangay Bulatukan Municipiality of Makilala.
Mt Apo National Park was created by Proclamation No. 59 on 9 May 1936, amended by Proclamation No. 35 on 8 May 1966. It is a component of the NIPAS and was declared as Mt Apo Natural Park through Presidential Proclamation No. 882 on 24 September 1996, with an area of 72,113 ha. It is one of only two ASEAN Natural Heritage Parks in the country (the other one is Mt Iglit on Mindoro). It is also a GEF CPPAP site.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Apo (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-apo-iba-philippines on 22/12/2024.
