Malumpati Watershed & Limestone Forest - Pandan, Philippines
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 11° 46.341 E 122° 04.584
51P E 399370 N 1301546
This is the entrance to the habitat of two endangered species of hornbills - Writhe-bill Hornbill and the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill. The trail begins at Malumpati Cold Springs and follows the Bugang River to its source and beyond.
Waymark Code: WMB76P
Location: Philippines
Date Posted: 04/13/2011
Views: 2
MALUMPATI WATERSHED & LIMESTONE FOREST
Home of rare butterflies, endangered & endemic bird species
- presence of world rarest hornbill, the writhed hornbill (dunungan)and the critic [missing]
Tarictic hormbill
This area is under intense conservation efforts now and a reforestation project attempts to restore the habitat of these rare birds - the Writhe-billed Hornbill (Aceros waldeni) and the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill(Penelopides p. panini). Access to this part of the watershed is along the beautiful Bugang River at the Malumpati Cold Springs.
The Brehm Fund has been instrumental in these conservation and preservation efforts here in the Vasayan Islands of the Philippines. Their research shows that "The Writhe-billed Hornbill (Aceros waldeni) and the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill (Penelopides p. panini) are among the most threatened bird species of the Philippines. Both are known from just a few islands of this Pacific state. The Tarictic Hornbill is rare on Negros and Panay, on the latter island with a few hundred pairs restricted to the western mountains. On Guimaras, located between both islands, the species is extinct due to conversion of native forest into mango plantations.
According to IUCN the Writhe-billed Hornbill is actually critically endangered, with some 100 pairs on Panay. Both species are confined to primary rainforests and breed in the cavities of old giant trees. Since they are unable to create such holes by themselves, both species likely suffer from an acute lack of nesting opportunities in view of the fact that old hardwood trees are removed by illegal organized timber cutting. Moreover, nestlings are still being removed and sold on local markets as pets."
Hollows like this in the larger trees are typical nesting places, although they would be higher up in the old trees. The tarictic hornbill especially is found in the canopy of the rain forests, and though noisy are seldom seen. (This tree is along the bank of the swimming area).
The
Bugang River in the island of Panay has won numerous national and international awards as the cleanest inland waterway in the Philippines. Part of the reason is the purity of the water that emerges from two deep springs fed by a subterranean river.
The larger spring is 30 meters across and has a depth of 40 meters. Reportedly, a smaller spring nearby has never been plumbed to its full depth. From here the river flows through the rain forest providing water to the surrounding villages, before entering the ocean about 10 kilometers away just north of the town of Pandan, Antique Province.
The best access to the springs is from the main highway on an unpaved road on the north side of the river which ends at the village of Malumpati where there is a fabulous swimming area in the deep, clear water.
From here a trail passes the Pandan Water District pumping station along the river for several kilometers.
One of the best tours to this area is from the Phaidon Resort, with its fabulous beaches a short distance north. There are other tour services including from the popular Boracay Island, off the northern tip of Panay.