Palawan Wild Frontier

      The Palawan Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana miolepis) is a spitting cobra that can be found in Palawan. This species is a medium sized, ground dwelling venomous snake. The scales are smooth and unlike some of the most beautiful cobras in Asia, this species has no impressive hood marks. The head is elliptical and depressed, the eyes are medium in size with round pupils, the snout is rounded and the nostrils are large. Juveniles tend to be of different colour than the adult. They can grow up to around 1.5 meters, but spitting cobras over a meter in length are seldom seen and photographed in Palawan . Palawan Spitting Cobra hood mark       It can be seen resting during the day under heavy thickets of grass, stacks of woods and cavities under rocks or soil. Abandoned mice dens are favorite hideouts in grasslands, farms and rice fields. Although it usually hunts for food at night, this species can be seen moving around on the forest floor at sporadic times during the day. Locals a

    The Banded Keel-throated Pitviper Tropidolaemus subannulatus (Gray, 1842) is said to be the most common pit viper in the Philippines. This venomous pit viper species is also native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Like the Schultz’s Pit Viper , this species is primarily arboreal and an ambush-hunting venomous snake. It is active at night, but also seen moving around during the day, especially in the rainy season. Banded Keel-throated Pitviper     The Banded Keel-throated Pitviper and the Shultz’s Pit Viper are both spectacular venomous pit viper that can be found in Palawan. They can be told apart from the shape of the head and the scales on the head. The scales of the head and chin of Banded Keel-throated Pitviper are strongly keeled, a closer look will show that the second upper labial is separated from the scale forming anterior border of facial pit. Shultz’s Pit Viper head and scales however looks smoother and the second upper labial is fused to the scale bordering the se

     I have heard it said that Palawan has more snakes in the wild than anywhere else in the country. Maybe true, but there are species of snakes commonly seen in other places that are scarce in Palawan rainforest. We have enough vipers in the wild though.  Trimeresurus schultzei Griffin 1909 commonly known as the Schultz’s Pit Viper is one of the most spectacular snakes that can be found here. This snake is endemic to Palawan and its surrounding small islands. Schultz’s Pit Viper       The Schultz’s Pit Viper is primarily arboreal species. They’re capable, but rarely navigate and hunt on the ground. They’re slow and less camouflaged on the ground and therefore more vulnerable on the forest floor. Using its prehensile tail to hold onto branches , it prefers to perch on trees where its green color acts as camouflage while waiting for prey. It is an ambush hunting snake relying on its camouflage to catch food. The heat-sensing loreal pits are used to locate warm-bl

      Cinnyris jugularis aurora (Tweeddale, 1878) are a noisy, fast flying small songbirds that feed largely on nectar. They can be seen hovering on flowers when feeding, but they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. It is often encountered in the lowland second growths, mangroves, agricultural farms and towns. This sunbird has adapted well to humans and can be found not just in the forested area but even in fairly densely populated areas. A female Olive-backed Sunbird building a nest.      The Olive-backed Sunbird are common across Palawan and often found in pairs, especially during breeding season. The male and female are easily told apart because the male is more colorful and showy than the female. They are known to breed from December to June. The purse-like nest, composed of woven grass, spider webs, feathers, leaves and other plant fibers is attached to small branches usually low down in bushes and trees, sometimes close to the gro

       Attacus lemairei Peigler, 1985 is a large moth endemic to Palawan. It belongs to the family Saturniidae , a family of large spectacular moths characterised by hair-like scales covering their body and lobed or sickle-shaped wings that are vibrantly coloured. This moth is less known, but close kin to the world famous Attacus atlas. Attacus lemairie larvae.      The caterpillars are large, dusty-green in color and adorned with fleshy spines along their backs. When the caterpillars are ready to pupate, they spin a papery cocoon interwoven with dried leaves and attach it to a twig using a strand of silk. The adult moths emerge from the very durable cocoon as the beautiful creature shown in the photo. Adult Attacus lemairei size.        Newly emerged female moths does not stray far from the location of their discarded cocoon for a few days. They release powerful pheromones through a gland on the end of the abdomen to attract a mate. They search for a perch where

      One of the most unique and beautiful spider in Palawan is the rare metallic blue spider of the genus Opadometa . Opadometa is a genus of spiders in the family Tetragnathidae and is separated from other Leucauge spiders by its pear-shaped abdomen and its distinctive fourth pair of legs. In addition to the rows of curved hairs, this leg also has a thick brush of spines. Palawan is rich in Araneae, but this is the only large blue spider seen in Palawan.       We did some research and found out that this blue spider is a species that has not yet been described . This blue spider is not among the four documented Opadometa species and the described eight subspecies. The closest spider I found on the internet is the newly discovered Opadometa sarawakensis , another unique spider found in Malaysia.        We found the webs during the day with the spider mostly at the hub and sometimes at the web margin. The web is large, usually over a meter in diameter and placed horizonta

      Let me introduce you to our endemic Mydaus marchei (Huet, 1887), the Palawan Stink Badger. The Palawan Stink Badger was once thought to be more related to badgers than with skunks because of its appearance that closely resemble badgers. It was recently re-classified as one of the Mephitidae ,  a family of mammals comprising the skunks and stink badgers . Like all mephitids, this guy possess a specialized anal glands that can spray a powerful noxious chemical. The M. marchei rely almost entirely on this powerful odour for their defense. A foraging Palawan Stink Badger.      I still can remember a night on the western coast when a dog attacked a foraging stink badger not fifteen meters from where we were sleeping. It was a very annoying experience. I had a hard time finding my tent zippers, but I was out in time to see the last of my hiking companions running off, leaving trails of vomits on the ground. Relocating the camp in the middle of the night was never fun and e

     Paradoxurus philippinensis (Jourdan, 1837) or the Philippine Palm Civet is getting scarce in Palawan. It used to be abundant in primary and second-growth forest, but conversion of its natural habitat to farmland pushed them deeper in the mountains. These wild animals are nocturnal in habit, solitary in nature and mainly arboreal. They are omnivorous, but usually favored fruits. The Philippine Palm Civets sometimes feed on birds and small rodents and w hen its natural wild food get scarce, it also visits the immediate vicinity of farmhouses and prey on chickens.       Most farmers here misunderstood these animals, considered them a threat to poultry and were often trapped or shot in sight. This kind of civet always prefer fruits if it's available. I used to breed fighting cocks at my father's farm and I've observed this civet feeding habit several times in the past. Different kinds of fruit bearing trees were abundant in the farm, civet always goes f

     The Pelobatrachus ligayae (Taylor, 1920) or the Palawan Horned Frog is a species of amphibian in the Megophryidae family that can be found only in the province of Palawan . It inhabits secondary growth forests, lowland and montane rainforests where it is active day and night.   Juvenile Pelobatrachus ligayae.       The Palawan Horned Frog has an elongated “horn” present on each upper eyelid. The skin color varies from reddish brown to gray. The body shape and color resemble the appearance of a forest ground floor. Pelobatrachus ligayae in mossy forest habitat.      The Pelobatrachus ligayae is a slow moving frog that use camouflage as primary defense against predators. When it feels threatened, it usually remains immobile unless touched or molested. Pelobatrachus ligayae in wetland habitat.      Although this horned frog has a wide distribution in Palawan and occurs in forested areas from around sea level up to the mossy forests in the mountains, f