Philippines Nature

Tropical rainforest

Forests in the tropics have a rich biodiversity. More than half of all the plants and animals in the world are to be found in the rainforests. More than 3500 species of plants and animals! The constantly high temperatures and the continuously high humidity in the tropics make this biodiversity possible. The temperature is in most tropical rainforests between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, the forests are threatened. Worldwide only 20 percent of the original tropical forests is left. The main reasons are the commercial logging and the cutting of trees by local people, who need plots for agriculture activities.

In 2001 less than 8 % of the country was covered by original tropical rainforest! Less than 100 years ago this was still 70 %! The deforestation has to be stopped to save the biodiversity and the productivity of the forest as a natural resource. If not, there will be no rainforest left within 15 years.

Effects of deforestation
Not only the typical giant trees will disappear more and more, also more than 3500 species of plants and animals, many of them only found in the Philippines, will disappear, for always. Some of the threatened animals are: the tarsier, the smallest monkey in the world the large Philippine Eagle; the Philippine cockatoo; flying lemurs; flower peckers; the Philippine crocodile

Exploring the tropical rainforest in the Philippines
Though much of the rainforest has already been lost, there are still good possibilities to explore the rainforest in the Philippines. The best possibilities to explore tropical rainforest in the Philippines are on the islands Bohol, Mindanao and Palawan. These are the islands where still a big part of the original jungle is conserved. Several organizations organize day-trips into the jungle. However, to meet the animals of your choice is not so easy. Species are often rare and animals are most of the time hiding when they hear strange noise. Which animals you'll meet on your discovery trip in the jungle? Big chance that you will hear and see birds, monkeys and insects. Maybe snakes too! With a good guide you'll be probably lucky not only to hear the animal sounds, but to see the animals too.

Active volcanoes

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7100 islands. Most of these islands are of volcanic origin. There are 37 volcanoes in the Philippines, of which 18 are still active volcanoes. It means that an eruption occurred in the last decennia and that a new eruption can be expected in the future. All the other volcanoes are 'sleeping' or 'dead' volcanoes. Scientists think that an eruption of these volcanoes is unlikely. The most known volcanoes in the Philippines are Mount Pinatubo, Mount Mayon and the Taal volcano. They are all located on the Northern island Luzon.

The most active volcano
Mount Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines. Since 1616 there were 47 eruptions. From 1616 until 2002 at least 1300 people died and thousands of people got homeless as a result of all the eruptions. The most recent eruptions were in 1947, 1984 and 1993. In 1993 the activity started with explosions. Half an hour later, flows of lava (molten rock) and pyroclastic flows (flows with mixtures of hot, dry rock fragments and hot gases. They flows may result from the explosive eruption of molten or solid rock fragments, or both) came out of the crater in the top of the volcano. It killed 68 people and 60.000 people had to be evacuated.

Volcano type
Mount Mayon is a splendid example of a strato volcano. Mount Mayon rises up 2462 meters above sea level. This type of volcano is typically steep-sided and composed of alternating layers of lava (the melted mass - magma - which came out of the crater) and other volcanic material, especially ash layers.

The lost village of Cagsawa
In 1818 enormous flows of lava came over the village of Cagsawa. The whole village disappeared under the layers of 'lava' and 'pyroclastic flows'. Only the the top of the church reminds of the period that once there was a village.

Climbing Mount Mayon?
For some sportive tourists it is a challenge to climb the Mount Mayon. The best start is at a height of 762 meters above sea level, the location where a research- station is situated. From the research station a trail creeps upwards through a tropical secondary forest. It is not easy to reach the summit. Especially the last 540 meters to the top. At the height of 1921 meters the rocky slopes begin. The last 240 meters have a 40 degree ascent on loose volcanic cinder and lava sands. To climb further to the summit is not without danger for life. Especially the danger of poisonous fumes, which can sometimes come down alongside the slopes when the wind makes a sudden shift in wind direction. So, the best, safe trail just stops at 1921 meters altitude!