ENDEMIC PLANTS & ANIMALS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Endemic plants and animals are those that are unique to a specific geographic region.
ENDEMIC PHILIPPINE PLANTS/ FLORA
1. Waling-Waling (Vanda sanderiana)
Waling-waling is endemic to Mindanao in the provinces
of Davao, Cotabato, and Zamboanga where it is found on the
trunks of dipterocarp trees. It blooms once a year from July to
October. It is also called Sander's Vanda, after Henry
Frederick Conrad Sander, a noted orchidologist. The orchid
is considered to be the "Queen of Philippine flowers" and is
worshiped as a diwata by the native Bagobo people.
© D. Baptista
2. Nepenthes peltata
Nepenthes peltata is a tropical pitcher plant known only from
the upper slopes of Mount Hamiguitan on the island of
Mindanao in the Philippines. It is characterized by a peltate
tendril attachment and conspicuous indumentum. The
species typically produces ovoid pitchers with a prominent
basal crest and large nectar glands on the lower surface of
the lid.
© Edgar Yap
3. Rafflesia Philippensis
Rafflesia philippensis is a parasitic plant species of the
genus Rafflesia that was named by Blanco in his Flora de
Filipinas in 1845. The species is known to occur as a small
single population within the vicinity of Mount Banahaw
National Park. Its fully opened flower has a diameter of 29.3-
32 cm. The open flower has 9-10 reddish perigone lobes
measuring 9.0-10.5 cm.
© J. Barcelona
4. Summer Hoya (Hoya Obscura)
Hoya obscura is endemic to the southern part of the island of
Luzon. Characterized by medium-sized veined leaves that
range from deep green when grown in shade, to a deep
reddish color when grown in sunlight. The flowers are
pleasantly fragrant, but the scent is described very differently:
"a spiced honey fragrance", "a slight hint of lavender
perfume", "a fresh cut lemon fruit sour" or "a buttered
cinnamon roll fragrance", the scent wafts a considerable
distance especially at night.
© G. Mazza
5. Jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys)
Jade vine, emerald vine or turquoise jade vine, is a species
of leguminous perennial liana, a native of the tropical forests
of the Philippines specifically to Quezon and Rizal. With
stems that can reach up to 18 m in length. Its local name is
Tayabak. Its flowers normally bloom once a year, around
March or April, and last for only two weeks.
© Shailesh Nursery
6. Rose Grape (Medinilla magnifica)
Medinilla Magnifica grows naturally in the humid mountains of
the Philippines. It is an epiphyte, which is a plant that grows
on trees or other plants. The plant grows up to 3 m tall, with
opposite, firm, leathery leaves, which grow to 20–30 cm long
in an ovate shape with a short point. The flowers grow
in panicles up to 50 cm long, with ovid pink bracts. The
individual flowers are up to 25 mm in size, and are pink, red
or violet.
© P. Quiles
7. Leptosolena haenkei
Leptosolena haenkei, endemic to the island of Luzon in
the Philippines. The species is very rare. It was seen first and
last time by Haenke in 1792. Since then it was thought to be
extinct for 213 years until it was rediscovered in the wild in
2005 by the Japanese botanist Funakoshi Hidenobu.
© F. Hidenobu
8. Begonia cabanillasii
Begonia cabanillasii is currently known only to occur in El
Nido, Palawan. It is among the six Begonia species which are
endemic to El Nido. Other species are B. blancii, B.
elnidoensis, B. mindorensis Merr., B. suborbiculata, and B.
woodii Merr. It can easily be distinguished by its compact
rosette growth. It has a unique 5-winged ovary which is the
type of characteristic that can only be found in Palawan
species
© Phil. Taxonomic Initiative
9. Utricularia heterosepala
Utricularia heterosepala is a small carnivorous plant that can
be found on the islands of Palawan, Luzon, and Sibuyan. It
grows as a subaquatic plant in shallow water or creeks,
usually at low to medium altitudes. All Utricularia are
carnivorous and capture small organisms by means of
bladder-like traps. This species produces shapely pink
flowers on long spikes.
10. Cyathea heterochlamydea
Cyathea heterochlamydea is a little-known species of tree
fern native to the islands of Luzon, Panay, Negros and
Mindanao in the Philippines. The trunk of this plant is erect
and usually up to 4 m tall or more. The stipe is warty and/or
bears short spines and scales. These scales are dark, glossy
and have a narrow pale margin.
© L. Co
11. Katmon (Dillenia philippinensis)
Katmon is found only in the Philippines, being common in
forests of low and medium altitude throughout the islands in
primary and secondary forests. It is a medium-
sized evergreen tree that grows as high as 10 to 15 meters.
The fruit, called "elephant apple", contains a soft, fleshy,
green, and edible pulp with a flavor similar to a sour green
apple. The tree is harvested for its timber and suitable for
furniture and cabinet making. A red dye is can also be
obtained from the bark.
© I. Ngoo
12. Balakat (Ziziphus talanai)
Ziziphus talanai, with common names are balakat, aligamen,
and talanai. Ziziphus talanai is endemic to Luzon and
Visayas, in the Philippines, The tree is found in the
Philippinean Limestone Forest ecoregion. Studies have
shown that the bark does indeed have antimicrobial
properties. The city of Mabalacat in Pampanga Province was
named after it in 1712, using the indigenous Negrito word
mabalacat meaning "forest of balakat."
© L. Co
 ENDEMIC PHILIPPINE ANIMALS/ FAUNA
Hailed by researchers as home to the highest concentration of unique species per unit area in the world, roughly 33 percent of the country’s
plants, 75 percent of its amphibians, 70 percent of its reptiles, and 44 percent of its birds can be found only here in the Philippines.

1. Philippine Tarsier (Carlito syrichta) 4. Philippine tree squirrel (Sundasciurus philippinensis)

The Philippine Tarsier is known locally as the Maumag in
Cebuano/Visayan and Mamag in Luzon. It is found in the
southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly in the
islands of Bohol Island, Samar Island, Leyte Island and
Mindanao. Its eyes are fixed in its skull; they cannot move in
their sockets. Instead, a special adaptation in the neck allows
its round head to be rotated 180°. It has thin, rough fur which
is colored gray to dark brown.
The Philippine tree squirrel and these can only be found on
islands such as Palawan in Luzon, Bohol, Leyte and Samar
in the Visayas, and in Siargao in Mindanao.It is brown on its
back, with a reddish eye ring, a gray to dull orange brown
venter, and an annulated tail. It grows to a length of 193
millimeters, and usually weighs up to 244 grams.

© J. Sartore

© J.Majuro
5. Visayan leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis sumatranus)
2. Philippine flying lemur (Cynocephalus volans) The Visayan leopard cat is endemic to the Philippine islands
of Panay and Negros where it inhabits remnant forest
The Philippine flying lemur or Philippine colugo, known locally fragments. In Cebu, it has also been recorded
as kagwang. Although called a flying lemur, it cannot fly and in sugarcane farms. The fur of the Visayan leopard cat is
is not a lemur. Instead, it glides as it leaps among trees. Its dark ochre to buffy fawn with large and dark spots. Its skull is
population is concentrated in the Mindanao region and a little narrower than of Sumatran leopard cat and Bornean
Bohol. It has a wide head, small ears and big eyes. Its leopard cat.
clawed feet are large and webbed for fast climbing and for
gliding An average Philippine flying lemur weighs about 1.0 to
1.7 kg and its head-body length is 33–38 cm.

© J. Sartore
© Flickr @leenrrb

3. Palawan Binturong (Arctictis binturong whitei) 6. Palawan bearded pig (Sus ahoenobarbus)
The Palawan bearded pig is a pig species in the genus Sus
The Palawan binturong and Palawan bearcat is endemic to
endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs on the
the island of Palawan in the Philippines. It can grow to as
archipelago of islands formed by Balabac, Palawan, and the
much as 1.4 m. Distinguishing characteristics are the ears
Calamian Islands. It is 1 to 1.6 m in length, about 1 m tall and
that are lined with white fur, and long, white whiskers that can
weigh up to 150 kg. It is the largest wild pig in the Philippines.
be as long as the length of its head. It has coarse, thick
black-brown fur. It is an omnivore, feeding on fruit, small
© D. Heuclin
animals, and carrion.

© PCSD
7. Philippine Trogon (Harpactes ardens)
Philippine Trogon is found only in the islands of Luzon and its
satellites, Samar, Leyte, Bohol and Mindanao. It is very
colorful bird, The male has its bill yellow-tipped with a pea-
green base, cobalt blue facial skin surrounding a dark brown
eye, a black forecrown while the hind crown and nape
purplish maroon; back and rump orange rufous, and a deep
red belly. It feeds on insects and fruits and nests on holes in
dead hollow trees similar to woodpecker nests.
© M. Brady
8. Palawan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis)
The Palawan peacock-pheasant is found in the humid forests
of Palawan Island. The bird is also depicted in the official seal
of the city of Puerto Princesa. They very are strong fliers.
Adult males have an erectile crest and highly iridescent
electric blue-violet, metallic green-turquoise dorsal plumage.
It breast and ventral regions are dark black. While the female
is slightly smaller, its contour plumage is cloudy silt in
coloration. The mantle and breast are dark sepia in
coloration.
© K. Hansen
9. Philippine falconet (Microhierax erythrogenys)
The Philippine falconet is fairly common on Luzon, Mindanao,
Mindoro and Visayas. Its natural habitat is subtropical or
tropical moist lowland forest. Seen singly or in pairs, it
perches on prominent branches on old dead trees from which
it hawks for flying insects. It nests in old woodpecker holes.
The upperparts, flanks and thighs are a glossy blue-black,
the underparts white and the beak and feet black. The call is
a noisy `kek-kek-kek-kek` while diving for prey. It is about 15
cm in length.
© J. Sartore
10. Philippine flat-headed frog (Barbourula busuangensis)
The Philippine flat-headed frog is also known as Palawan
flat-headed frog, Busuanga jungle toad, Busuanga disk-
tongued toad, and Philippine aquatic frog. It is endemic to the
Busuanga, Culion, Balabac, and Palawan islands in the
Philippines. Its body is flattened dorso-ventrally and its
nostrils and eyes are located at the top of its head. This frog
is a dark greenish-black in colour with some faint pale green
hatching and spotting on the hind limbs.
© P. Fidenci
11. Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)
The Philippine sailfin lizard, crested lizard, sail-fin lizard,
sailfin water lizard, soa-soa water lizard or its native name
ibid is an oviparous lizard living only in the Philippines. It is an
excellent swimmer and has flattened toes that enable it to run
across water. It is omnivorous, feeding on fruit, leaves,
flowers, insects, and small animals. Males have a larger crest
on their back than the females. The males also show a violet
color as they grow older. Females are less colorful. The
adults may reach up to a meter in length. It lives in tropical
wooded habitats near water, like rivers, riverbanks, rice-fields
and mangrove.
© MKFI
12. Luzon peacock swallowtail (Papilio chikae)
The Luzon peacock swallowtail is a species of butterfly in the
family Papilionidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It has two
subspecies, with P. c. chikae from Luzon and P. c. hermeli
from Mindoro. Their forewings are black with pale blue veins,
while their hind wings are black with turquoise and red edges.
© T. Vezzo
 ENDANGERED PLANTS & ANIMALS IN THE PHILIPPINES
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction.
Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invasive species.
ENDANGERED PHILIPPINE PLANTS/ FLORA
1. Phalaenopsis micholitzii
Phalaenopsis micholitzii is a species of plant in the family
Orchidaceae. It is endemic to the Zamboanga peninsula in the
island of Mindanao, Philippines. Its natural habitat is
subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is critically
endangered & threatened by habitat loss and overcollection.
© L. Wang
2. Ceratocentron fesselii
Ceratocentron fesselii is a critically endangered genus of
plants in family Orchidaceae. It is found at high altitudes from
Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija to the Cordillera Mountain
ranges on Luzon island in the Philippines. It is critically
endangered due to habitat degradation and collecting. It is the
most endangered orchid species in Southeast Asia.
© Flickr @ Pixitoe
3. Phalaenopsis lindenii
Phalaenopsis lindenii is a species of plant in the family
Orchidaceae, named after Belgian botanist Jean Jules
Linden. It is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland
forests. It is endangered and threatened by habitat loss.
© N. Fahmi
4. Pseuderia samarana
Pseuderia samarana is an endemic species of plant in the
family Orchidaceae found in Samar Island and is the first
generic record for the genus Pseuderia in the Philippines. The
scented flowers, are yellow in color with reddish-purple
markings. The species is considered Critically Endangered
and is found only in top portion of forest over limestone, and is
threatened by land use conversion, timber poaching, and
slash-and-burn farming.
© Z. Meneses
5. Paphiopedilum urbanianum
Paphiopedilum urbanianum is a species of plant in the family
Orchidaceae. It is endemic to Mindoro in the Philippines. Its
natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
It is almost extinct in the wild, partly due to habitat loss, but
even more so because of unsustainable collecting for the
horticultural trade.
© D. Baptista
6. Rafflesia consueloae
Rafflesia consueloae is a parasitic plant species of the genus
Rafflesia endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines.
The species is the smallest of all Rafflesia, measuring an
average diameter of 9.73 cm when fully expanded. The disk
surface of newly opened flowers is described to as distinctly
cream-white and usually without processes. It was classified
as critically endangered by IUCN.
© E. Fernando
7. Kris Plant (Alocasia sanderiana)
Kris plant is a plant in the family Araceae. It is endemic to
Misamis Occidental and Bukidnon, in the Philippines. The
leaves are evergreen, pelted, V-shaped, deeply lobed, and a
glossy deep-green with large silvery white veins. They are
about 30–40 cm long and 15–20 cm wide, with red-green
undersides. The plant can be up to 2 m tall and large in its
native habitat. It is classified as Critically Endangered by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
© TennesseeDave
8. Wade's pitogo (Cycas wadei)
Wade’s Pitogo is a species of plants in the family cycads. It is
observed only to grow on the island of Culion in the province
of Palawan.It is listed as critically endangered by IUCN and in
CITES Appendix II.
© PeregrinusX
9. Yakal (Shorea astylosa)
Shorea astylosa is a species of plant in the family
Dipterocarpaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines, which is
known as yakal in Filipino language. It is a medium to large
tree about 25 to 30 meters tall. Its wood is hard and dark
brownish-yellow. It is commonly found in Luzon, particularly
Quezon and Camarines; Samar; Negros; and Mindanao,
particularly Zamboanga, Agusan, and Davao. Yakal is used
for high-grade construction, bridges and wharves, mine
timber, and other installations requiring high strength and
durability. It is critically endangered as per IUCN.
© P. Pelser
10. Philippine Teak (Tectona philippinensis)
Tectona philippinensis, also called Philippine teak, is a
species of plant in the family Lamiaceae, formerly classified in
the Verbenaceae. Philippine teak produces a durable timber
used locally for construction, being favored as posts for
housing etc. Philippine teak is only known from Batangas
province, Luzon Island and Illing Island, Mindoro, in the
Philippines, where it is confined to limestone forest. It is
critically endangered due to logging for its valuable timber.
© H. Banados Jr.
11. Kaladis Narig (Vatica elliptica)
Kaladis Narig is a rare species of tree in the family
Dipterocarpaceae, native to Mindanao island in the
Philippines.The tropical rain forest tree is endemic to Mount
Kaladis in Zamboanga del Sur province, on the Zamboanga
Peninsula of Mindanao island, in the southern Philippines. It is
an IUCN Red List Critically endangered species. Threatened
by habitat loss, it is considered to be very close to extinction.
© DENR Zamboanga
12. Gisok-Gisok (Hopea philippinensis)
Hopea philippinensis is a species of plant in the family
Dipterocarpaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines. A small to
medium-sized tree of up to 30 m tall, bole with diameter to 40
cm, frequently crooked and branching low, with a few stilt roots,
dammar exudations cream-brown, bark surface smooth, red-
brown to fawn mottled, inner bark hard, pale brown, sapwood
pale yellow, grading to pale brown heartwood. It is listed as
critically endangered by IUCN.
© P. Pelser
 ENDANGERED PHILIPPINE ANIMALS/ FAUNA
1. Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
Also called the monkey-eating eagle, The Philippine eagle is
endemic to the Philippines and can be found on four major
islands: eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. It is
characterized by a brown and white feather pattern and bushy
crest. It is considered the largest of the extant eagles in the
world in terms of length and wing surface. A full-grown adult
can grow to as big as 4 ft tall and can weigh as much as 9 kg.
The monkey-eating eagle is the Philippines national bird. The
Zoological Society of London listed the Philippine eagle as the
top 14 EDGE species, making it the Philippines' most
"evolutionary distinct and globally endangered" species. In
2015, about 600 were estimated to be left in the wild.
© A. Pascua
1. Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis)
The Tamaraw or Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo is a small hoofed
mammal belonging to the family Bovidae. It is endemic to the
island of Mindoro. A fully grown tamaraw stands about 4 ft tall
and weighs about 300 kg. The tamaraw is currently
considered a critically endangered species. As of April 2019,
according to DENR, the latest count at Mounts Iglit-Baco
National Park in Occidental Mindoro showed 466 to 494
tamaraws.
© D. Heuclin
3. Philippine mouse-deer (Tragulus nigricans)
The Philippine Mouse-deer or Balabac Mouse-deer is found
mainly in the island of Balabac which is located south of
Palawan. Locally called Pilandok, it has a body the size of a
rabbit with slender legs and an arched back that is covered by
brown fur, with a white base. A dark line runs from each ear
past the eye toward the nose. It is endangered due to habitat
loss. The mouse-deer's habitat is being converted to
agricultural lands for coconut plantations and other crops.
© M. Sloviak
4. Walden’s Hornbill (Aceros waldeni)
The Walden’s Hornbill, or Visayan Wrinkled Hornbill is a
hornbill bird living in the rainforests of Negros and Panay of
the Philippines. It can be recognized by the yellow throat and
ocular skin in the male, and the blue throat and ocular skin in
the female. This is a critically endangered species. It is
presumed extinct on Guimaras and now survives only on
Negros and Panay. The current population is estimated at
less than 160. Though recent work from the Central Panay
Mountain Range suggests 600-700 pairs may remain there.
© Fletcher & Baylis
5. Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis)
The Philippine crocodile is a crocodile endemic in the
Philippines. It is also known as the Mindoro crocodile and the
Philippine freshwater crocodile. Growing no more than 3
meters, they have a relatively broad snout and thick bony
plates on its back. Females are slightly smaller than males.
They used to be common throughout the country but because
of habitat loss, dynamite fishing and killings by humans, these
freshwater crocodiles can now only be found on the islands of
Dalupiri, Luzon, and Mindanao. Currently, their population
size is at 92-137.
© G. Yan
6. Visayan Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons)
The Visayan warty pig is endemic to six of the Visayan
Islands (Cebu, Negros, Panay, Masbate, Guimaras, and
Siquijor) in the central Philippines. The Visayan warty pig is a
dark grey color, and the body is sparsely covered with bristly
hairs. Only about 300 Visayan warty pigs exist in captivity;
their wild population is unknown.
© C. Lemperle
7. Cebu Flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor)
The Cebu flowerpecker is a small passerine bird. It is endemic
to Cebu Island in the Philippines. The four-color bird reached
a size 11 to 12 centimeters. It is critically endangered and was
feared to have become extinct early in the 20th century, but
was rediscovered in 1992 and has since been found at three
other sites. The current population is estimated to be between
85 and 105 individuals.
© T. Cofta
8. Mindoro Bleeding Heart (Gallicolumba platenae)
The Mindoro bleeding-heart is a medium-sized, short-tailed,
ground-dwelling pigeon species endemic to the Philippines.
This species has an extremely small, severely fragmented
population which is undergoing a continuing decline owing to
lowland forest destruction, combined with hunting and trade.
For these reasons it is listed as critically endangered and
have an estimated of 70 – 400.
© K. Ilio
9. Panay cloudrunner (Crateromys heaneyi)
The Panay cloudrunner is the second-largest cloud rat, a
squirrel-like rodent that is found on the island of Panay in the
Philippines. It is a little over 600 mm long, with grizzled
greyish-brown fur and a long, bushy tail making up more than
half of the body length. It weighs around 1 kilogram.
Continued deforestation on the island of Panay is the major
threat to this species, and the animal is now confined to
remnant forest in a mountain range on the western end of the
island. It is the most endangered rodent species in Panay,
and one of the only few known cloud rat species in the world.
© J. Sartore
10. Philippine forest turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)
The Philippine forest turtle, the Philippine pond turtle, the
Palawan turtle, or the Leyte pond turtle is native to the
Palawan island group. Philippine forest turtles have brown to
reddish brown to black carapaces that reach a length of 21
cm. It is classified as critically endangered due to illegal
trading. It is estimated there are about 10,000 individuals
scattered in the identified Palawan municipalities.
© J. van Beijnen
11. Palawan pangolin (Manis culionensis)
The Philippine pangolin or Palawan pangolin, also locally
known as balintong, is a pangolin species endemic to the
Palawan province of the Philippines. Its habitat includes
primary and secondary forests, as well as surrounding
grasslands. It is roughly 30 to 90 cm long, plus a 26 to 88 cm
tail. It weighs 1–75 kg. It is covered in small triangular scales
made of keratin everywhere except the underbelly and face,
making up at least 20% of the body weight. This species is at
risk due to heavy hunting because of its valued scales and
meat. It is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and
Critically Endangered by the Palawan Council for Sustainable
Development (PCSD).
© PCSD
12. Cebu Frill-wing (Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi)
Cebu Frill-wing is a species of damselfly in the family
Platycnemididae and the only known species in the genus
Risiocnemis. It is endemic to the Philippines and can only be
found in a small river area in one of the last forests in Central
Cebu, which is threatened by habitat loss, illegal logging, and
water pollution. It is the most endangered insect species in
the whole Philippine archipelago. It is one of the 2012 World's
100 Most Threatened Species, which was compiled by IUCN
and the Zoological Society of London.
© R. Villanueva