Current view: Text account
Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA includes the large mountain range that extends north to south from South-eastern Pangasinan Province southwards along the border between Zambales and Tarlac Provinces. The mountains reach a maximum altitude of 2,037 m at Mt High Peak, and there are several other peaks over 1,000 m, including Mt Dinampang and Mt Iba. A large block of old growth forest is shown in these mountains on recent forest cover maps, composed of closed canopy dipterocarp and mossy forest ranging in elevation from 990 m to the highest peaks. Ground-based surveys in 1992 confirmed the presence of a large expanse of virtually untouched forests around Mt High Peak.
The extensive forests that are reported to remain in the Zambales Mountains are remarkably poorly known ornithologically, given their proximity to Manila. Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area were recorded there during a survey in 1992, including the threatened Flame-breasted Fruit-dove, Spotted Imperial-pigeon and Green-faced Parrotfinch, and the poorly known Furtive Flycatcher. Several of these are lowland birds, but most of the remaining forest in this IBA is likely to be montane, with limited areas of lowland forest on the lower slopes. It is possible that many of the endemic montane birds of Luzon occur in the Zambales Mountains, and that the avifauna there will prove to be similar to that of the Cordillera Central of Luzon (e.g. Mt Pulog National Park: PH004).
Non-bird biodiversity: An extremely healthy population of horseshoe bats, of the poorly known family Rhinolophidae, has been found, plus the Endangered Luzon Pygmy Fruit-bat Otopteropus cartilagonodus, previously known only from six specimens. The threatened golden-crowned flying fox Acerodon jubatus is also reported to occur in the area.
Surveys in 1992 recorded a total of 17 individuals of a skink, Sphenomorphus beyeri, which was previously known from a single specimen collected in the 1920s, and found another skink, Lipinia sp., which may represent a new species.
This IBA includes the large mountain range that extends north to south from South-eastern Pangasinan Province southwards along the border between Zambales and Tarlac Provinces. The mountains reach a maximum altitude of 2,037 m at Mt High Peak, and there are several other peaks over 1,000 m, including Mt Dinampang and Mt Iba. A large block of old growth forest is shown in these mountains on recent forest cover maps, composed of closed canopy dipterocarp and mossy forest ranging in elevation from 990 m to the highest peaks. Ground-based surveys in 1992 confirmed the presence of a large expanse of virtually untouched forests around Mt High Peak.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
A recent survey of forest cover reported that although there is little encroachment into the large block of forest that comprises this IBA, the rate at which it has been reduced is high. This is because the perimeter of this stand adjoins open grasslands, which are mostly used as pasture, and fires in these grasslands have steadily been eroding the forest line. There are few roads into the mountains in this IBA, which has presumably limited encroachment into the forests. The forests there were presumably badly damaged by the ash fall from the Mt Pinatubo eruption in 1992.
A survey team from the Centers of Biological Diversity in the Philippines Project visited three sites near Mt High Peak in 1992. At the lower elevations near the village of Coto, numerous hunters were encountered in the forest with fruit-doves, wild pigs and monkeys. At higher elevations, only rattan gatherers were seen. They found that logging has clearly had an effect on this area, and most large, accessible trees had already been removed.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
A survey team from the Centers of Biological Diversity in the Philippines Project visited three sites near Mt High Peak in 1992. At the lower elevations near the village of Coto, numerous hunters were encountered in the forest with fruit-doves, wild pigs and monkeys. At higher elevations, only rattan gatherers were seen. They found that logging has clearly had an effect on this area, and most large, accessible trees had already been removed.
Not officially protected.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Zambales mountains (Philippines). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/zambales-mountains-iba-philippines on 23/12/2024.
