EASTERN MINDANAO CORRIDOR

The Eastern Mindanao Corridor forms part of the Greater Mindanao Biogeographic Region. Its northern boundary is Siargao Island , and it extends south to where Mt. Hamiguitan rises. To the west, portions of the Agusan Marsh delineate the area. Agusan Marsh has been declared a Wildlife Sanctuary and one of the 10 priority protected areas in the Integrated Protected Areas System; meanwhile, Siargao Island , Bucas Grande, and other smaller adjacent islands and islets were declared as a unit having a Protected Landscape and Seascape status. Thirty-four sites have been prioritized by the National Conservation Priority-setting Workshop process for conservation within this region. Of these, 15 are classified as extremely high priority - critical, 5 extremely high priority - urgent, and 11 extremely high priority.

One of the largest remaining blocks of dipterocarp forest in the country is found along the eastern portion of Mindanao . In fact, 75% of the country's extracted timber comes from this area. Plant diversity in the corridor comprises more than 2,300 plant species, accounting for some 31% of the Philippines ' total. Of these, 60% are endemic to the corridor and account for 29% of Philippines ' endemics. Eight endemic genera, 26% of the country's total, are found in this region. Thirty-one floral species in the corridor are threatened.

Bird diversity comprises about 178 species (67%) of resident breeding birds and mammal species (37) represent 42% of the native mammals in the Mindanao Biogeographic Region. Diversity of other taxonomic groups is only partially documented, but species diversity is high, including 26 amphibians and 62 reptiles. Eastern Mindanao has 16 amphibian species endemic to the Philippines (42%), several of which are confined to Mindanao . The corridor is home to 85 bird species, 81% of all Philippine endemics recorded in the Mindanao Biogeographic Region. It has 25 endemic mammal species (57%), including two species found only on Dinagat Island . Finally, Eastern Mindanao has 36 endemic reptiles (53%), several of which are confined to Mindanao .

In terms of conservation status, at least 22 species are threatened, including the Philippine Eagle, Philippine Cockatoo, the Golden-crowned flying fox, and the Philippine crocodile. Siargao Island is home to the second-largest mangrove forest in Mindanao (86 square kilometers) and the largest contiguous stand of mangroves in the country (40 square kilometers).

( Source: CEPF .2001. Ecosystem Profile of the Philippines . www.cepf.net