Elusive animals recorded in Davao indicative of healthy, resilient Mt. Apo

Newly acquired trail cameras have documented elusive wildlife thriving along the summit trails of Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak and an aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region, this is part of their initiative to strengthen wildlife monitoring in protected areas. They added that the Mt. Apo Natural Park Protected Area Management Office (MANP-PAMO) has deployed these eight newly acquired camera traps along the summit trails of Mt. Apo.

During the initial 204 trap nights, the camera traps recorded rare photos and videos of elusive wildlife species, including the Philippine warty pig (𝑺𝒖𝒔 𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔), Philippine palm civet (𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒙𝒖𝒓𝒖𝒔 𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔), Mindanao tree shrew (𝑻𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒂 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊), and red junglefowl (𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒔).

These species are hardly observed during routine patrols as they are naturally quick to retreat at the slightest sign of human presence. Through the use of unmanned monitoring technology, MANP-PAMO is improving the detection and documentation of wildlife that would otherwise remain unseen.

The presence of the Philippine warty pig, Philippine palm civet, Mindanao tree shrew, and red junglefowl reflects the healthy and resilient ecosystems of Mt. Apo Natural Park, highlighting its exceptional biodiversity and reinforcing the importance of sustained habitat and wildlife protection.

MANP OIC Protected Area Superintendent Clint Michael B. Cleofe emphasized that, "Camera traps reinforce regular foot patrolling and biodiversity monitoring conducted by DENR personnel, allowing for more precise estimates of wildlife occurrence and population trends.

The data generated provides a valuable snapshot of ecosystem health, which will guide management in designing conservation measures to address threats to habitats and species.

The use of camera traps is also being promoted across ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP), placing Mt. Apo, one of the region's pioneering AHPs, within a broader initiative to modernize biodiversity monitoring and strengthen conservation networks.

By increasing trap nights throughout the year, MANP-PAMO aims to build a comprehensive wildlife database that will support science-based management strategies while further emphasizing Mt. Apo's ecological and cultural significance.