MANILA: The Manila Times yesterday quoted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as saying that more than half of the endemic species of amphibians, birds and mammals in the Philippines had been declared as threatened or endangered.
According to the daily, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza had on Monday noted that the Philippines is one of the top “hot spots” for biodiversity in the world and immediately called for stronger efforts in protecting the country’s biodiversity.
Atienza was quoted as saying that out of the country’s 9,000 species of flowering plants, 227 were included in the Red List of Threatened Species and that 592 out of the Philippines’ 1,137 endemic species of amphibians, birds and mammals had been declared as threatened or endangered.
The Philippines ranked fifth in the number of plant species and fourth in bird endemism, which means that the birds are found only in the country. Also, the country ranks fifth in mammal endemism, the report said, quoting Atienza.
He added that the country hosts some of the planet’s richest sanctuaries of biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine, the Times said.
This article was taken from: The Malay Mail: Asean+ 23 July 2008
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