Data Zone
Country/territory: Philippines
IBA criteria met: A1, A2 (2001)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 5,000 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2018 | unfavourable | very high | low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2001 baseline)
Siburan is the largest tract of lowland forest known on Mindoro. It is adjacent to the large Sablayan penal colony, which restricts access to the forest and therefore provides some degree of protection. The forest is about 30 km south-east of Sablayan, with forest on the south and east edge of the penal colony. This forest is contiguous with the patchy forests on the limestone ridge running north from Malpalon (PH043). In 1991, it was estimated that about 1,500 ha of lowland forest remains, with a similar area of unvisited montane forest further east. The lowland forest is generally closed canopy with trees of up to 25 m or more and a relatively open forest floor. There are fewer limestone outcrops causing less disruption to the canopy than at Malpalon. The small Lake Lubao borders the forest.
Key biodiversity
Most of the threatened and restricted-range lowland forest birds of the Mindoro Endemic Bird Area have been recorded recently at Siburan. It is almost certainly the largest and most important lowland forest site on Mindoro, particularly given the current relatively low level of disturbance there. The protection of this IBA probably represents the best opportunity to prevent the extinction of the highly threatened Mindoro Bleeding-heart, Black-hooded Coucal and Mindoro Hornbill. Lake Lubao, bordering the forest, holds a few waterbirds.
Non-bird biodiversity: This IBA is likely to support endemic small mammals, etc., but surveys of the mammalian fauna and herpetofauna are yet to be conducted there.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Siburan (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-siburan-iba-philippines on 22/11/2024.