Island-wide Survey of Fauna & Flora and Field Inventory of Selected Sites for Priority Conservation

Results of these surveys are important for establishing the necessary baseline information in order to help protect the forest sites, and apply the needed conservation measures. Further knowledge on the ecology and distribution of various endemic and threatened taxa were determined, and were valuable to establishing a current status report for each important species. Among the most significant bird records made in 1998 to1999 were confirmed observations of the Mindoro hornbill, Mindoro bleeding-heart, scarlet-collared flowerpecker, black-hooded coucal, Mindoro colasisi, Mindoro blue-crowned racquet-tail, and spotted Imperial Pigeon.

Additional records derived from the surveys were able to identify immediate and projected scenarios concerning the status and distribution of important indicator species particularly for species being considered for conservation, whether their current status appears to be more threatened or otherwise.

The study is envisaged to the establishment of Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. with funding support from Shell Philippines Exploration, B.V., operator of the Malampaya Natural Gas Project.