Inventory of Herpetofauna in the Buffer Zone of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, San Isidro, Davao Oriental, Philippines
Jireh R. Rosales | Julie Angela G Yu | Bernadette J. Nanual | Amy G Ponce
Discipline: Environmental Science
Abstract:
The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
(MHRWS) is a declared national park and a wildlife sanctuary
located in the province of Davao Oriental in the Philippines.
Most of the herpetofauna surveys conducted in the MHRWS
were located in the protected areas of the mountain. Thus,
this study was done to assess the surrounding buffer zone
in the northwestern part of the mountain as a crucial step
toward enhancing conservation and management policies for
these taxa and reinforcing the importance of buffer zones as
protective barriers around the core zones. Standard sampling
technique for herpetofauna survey such as the cruising method
in a 1-km transect line per study area was used. Pitfall trapping
was also employed for reptile fauna. A total of 25 species of
herpetofauna were documented in the survey, 10 species of
which are anurans and 15 species are reptiles. The majority of the
species documented are endemic to the Philippines. Moreover,
threatened and near-threatened species were also observed in
these areas. This only shows the importance of buffer zones in
providing habitats to diverse herpetofauna aside from the core
zones. Hence, proper conservation and sustainable practices
shall be planned in order to maintain the biodiversity in the
area while also serving the people in the nearby community.
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