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PUERTO PRINCESA<br />
Inside one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature<br />
The area also represents a habitat for biodiversity<br />
conservation. The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea<br />
ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in<br />
Asia. It was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site<br />
on <strong>Dec</strong>ember 4, 1999.<br />
The park has a range of forest<br />
formations representing eight of the<br />
thirteen forest types found in tropical<br />
Asia, namely forest over ultramafic<br />
soils, forest over limestone soils,<br />
montane forest, freshwater swamp<br />
forest, lowland evergreen tropical<br />
rainforest, riverine forest, beach forest,<br />
and mangrove forest. Researchers have<br />
identified more than 800 plant species from 300 genera and<br />
100 families. These include at least 295 trees dominated by<br />
the dipterocarp species. In the lowland forest, large trees such<br />
as the Dao (Dracontomelon dao), Ipil (Intsia bijuga), Dita<br />
(Alstonia scholaris), Amugis (Koordersiodendron pinnatum),<br />
and Apitong (Dipterocarpus gracilis) are common. Beach<br />
forest species include Bitaog (Calophyllum inophyllum),<br />
Pongamia pinnata, and Erynthia orientalis. Other notable<br />
plant species include Almaciga (Agathis philippinensis),<br />
Kamagong (Diospyros pulganensis) Pandan (Pandanus sp.)<br />
Anibong, and Rattan (‘Calamus sp.).<br />
74<br />
The tour is done at<br />
night as the glow<br />
the fireflies emit<br />
can better be seen<br />
during this time.<br />
Birds comprise the largest group of vertebrates found in the<br />
park. Of the 252 bird species known to occur in Palawan,<br />
a total of 165 species of birds were recorded in the park.<br />
This represents 67% of the total birds and all of the 15<br />
endemic bird species of Palawan. Notable species seen in<br />
the park are the blue-naped parrot<br />
(Tanygnathus lucionensis), Tabon<br />
scrub fowl (Megapodius cumunigii),<br />
hill myna (Gracula religiosa), Palawan<br />
hornbill (Anthracoceros marchei),<br />
white breasted sea eagle (Haliaeetus<br />
leucogaster).<br />
There are also some 30 mammal<br />
species that have been recorded.<br />
Most often observed in the forest canopy and along the<br />
shoreline feeding during low tide is the long-tailed macaque<br />
(Macaca fascicularis), the only primate found in the area.<br />
Other mammal species in the park are the bearded pig<br />
(Sus barbatus), bearcat (Arctictis binturong), Palawan<br />
stink badger (Mydaus marchei) and the Palawan porcupine<br />
(Hystrix pumila).<br />
19 species of reptiles have been identified, eight of which<br />
are endemic.[5] Common species in the area include large<br />
predators like the common reticulated python [Python
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