Different forms of fauna were observed at the study area.

Bird, insects, amphibian, fish, and even

domestic animals were present at Taganibong Creek. Their presence plays an important role in
the ecosystem. Without them, the system would be incomplete. Table 1 below shows the
observed fauna in Taganibong Creek.

Table 1. Fauna observed in Taganibong Creek
Bird Insects Amphibians Fish Domestic
Brown shrike
Yellow vented
bulbul
Water strider
Praying mantis
Grasshopper
Spider
Caterpillar
Ants
frog Tilapia Pig
Dog

Birds observed along Taganibong creek were brown shrike (Lanius cristatus) and yellow-vented
bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier). Both are identified by International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) to be at the least concern classification for its conservation status because they
have extremely large range and does not approach threshold for vulnerability. While the
aforementioned bulbul has an increasing population trend, opposite is true for the population
trend of brown shrike as they are decreasing (IUCN, 2014). Existence of these birds at
Taganibong Creek is of no surprise as their habitat includes forest, grassland, and even artificial
terrestrial lands (Baker, 2014 and Tan, 2001). This may also explain their success on their
current population number. Brown shrikes are migratory while yellow-vented bulbul are not but
they tend to regularly move from one place to another.
Insects were also found in Taganibong Creek. Among those which were observed at the study
site were: water strider, praying mantis, grass hoper, spider, caterpillar, and ants. These
organisms may be micro but they also have roles in the ecosystem.
Water striders are observed in slow moving water as they live just right at the surface of the
water (Painter, 2013). Discharge of Taganibong Creek was observed to be relatively slow and
this may explain why this macroinvertebrate exists at the area. While water striders prey on some
other insects such as bugs and mosquitoes, they also have predator which includes frogs and
fishes. As shown in table 1 above, the predator and prey of water stride was also observed at the
study are and this just gives a simple picture of the interaction among these biotic organisms.
According to Center for Insect Science Education Outreach (1997), praying mantis camouflage
for predacious purposes. This insect is carnivorous and feeds on variety of insects, however, they
may also be the meal for fish and predator aquatic insects for its larvae and pupae and bats, birds,
and spiders for the adults. Existence of praying mantis at the study area may indicate existence of
some other smaller insects which might have not been observed during the field survey.
Diverse vegetation present at the study area provides variety of food for grasshopper present at
Taganibong Creek. Grasshoppers are generally herbivores and some of them like grasses only
(Center for Insect Science Education Outreach, 1997). Birds, lizards, mantids, spiders, and
rodents are some of the predators of grasshopper.
Buddle (2013) reported that spiders can be considered as catalysts for ecosystem development
and are considered aerial plankton. This is because of their ability to release a strand of silk
and let the wind pick them up and carry them far distances. Moreover, Turnbull (1973) reported
that this organism is present in almost everywhere that it made its life at the Arctics northern
island, deserts, highest altitudes, caves, estuaries, sand dunes, flood plains, and even on the
shallow-water systems. Different kind of spiders has varying feeding system. Some of them are
herbivores, detritus, and others are predator. This explains why existence of spiders at
Taganibong Creek is expected as they are known to survive in different kinds of environment.
Food availability, season, and predators are some of the factors affecting the presence of a
caterpillar in a certain environment. Caterpillars are herbivores. Abundance of plant which could
be the target of these caterpillars for their activity on herbivory is influenced by the season.
Hence, population abundance of caterpillars are also influenced with the change of season. This
insect has also learned to adapt with their environment especially on the aspect of predation.
Some camouflage, use bright colours to warn the predators, store chemicals from the plants and
give themselves a bitter taste when eaten, put off hairs to irritate throat of the predators, and
more (Butterfly Conservation, 2014). Ecosystem of Taganibong Creek includes diverse plants
from trees to shrubs and grasses which might have served the herbivory of caterpillars survival at
the area. On the other hand, this could not be verified because the number of caterpillars as well
as the population number of each species of flora at the study site was not accounted.
Ants are generalists. They may eat dead insects, nectar, fruits, and even food prepared from the
kitchen. While most of them live in the soil, there are also some of them taking shelter inside a
wood, plant, and twig. While ants are considered the most important predators among the small
invertebrates, some of its species are considered pests because they also consume on human
resources (Center for Insect Science Education Outreach, 1997). Given the environment at
Taganibong Creek which has varying plants and at the same time a residential area, presence of
ants at the area is unsurprising. As the environment itself may provide the necessity for survival
of this invertebrate, existence of these households near the water body may also serve as source
of food.
Frogs are considered one of the bioindicators as they can live in terrestrial and aquatic
environments and they have permeable skin that could absorb toxic chemicals (Kriger, 2013).
Frog population is significantly declining through the years and their lost could be credited to
environmental problems such as pollution, infectious diseases, habitat loss, invasive species,
over-harvesting, and climate change. Hence, the presence of frogs at the study site may indicate
that the condition of Taganibong Creek could still sustain the needs of a frog and its
environmental condition is still tolerable despite the fact that it is surrounded with various
households that might have negatively affect the said water body.
The only fish species observed in Taganibong Creek was tilapia. As mentioned by National
Biological Information Infrastructure & IUCN-Invasive Species Specialists Group (NBII &
IUCN-ISSG, 2008), this fish usually occurs in estuarine habitats, lakes, marine habitats, and
water courses and prefers shallow and vegetated areas in tropical climate. Tilapia prefers
environment with 25-30C range and are sensitive to salinity but some of its species can tolerate
seawater (ISSG, 2006). As the water quality of Taganibong Creek is within the water quality
tolerable range of tilapia, it is of no surprise that this species was observed at the study site. Its
survival is also expected as their feeding habit covers benthic algae, phytoplankton,
macrophytes, zooplankton, fish eggs, fish algae and detritus (Mol & Van Der Lugt, 1995).
Domestic animals such as dogs and pigs were also observed at the study area. These were grown
by the residents along the river. Although these domestic animals were not observed in every
household, there is a possibility that they contribute on the alteration of water quality in the
creek. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 2011), pollutants such as nutrients
(N and P), organic matter and sediments in a water system could be coming from animal wastes.
In Taganibong Creeks water quality condition, these domestic animals might have contributed
to the low dissolved oxygen in the water especially that the discharge rate of the river is
relatively slow. Aside from the water quality problems that these domestic animals might have
contributed in the environment, they may also cause significant problems in terms of air quality.

Conclusion
Observed fauna in Taganibong Creek plays significant role in the completion of an ecosystem at
the said area. It displays interconnection from other components in the whole ecological system.
Presence of each organism in the said system is unsurprising because food of each of these is just
around the study site. Ants consume other dead insects and even gather food from the households
around, pigs grown along the river affects water quality in the creek, current water quality
condition affects number of tilapia population in the water body, present features of the
Taganibong ecological system provides the needs and sustains the presence of the yellow-vented
bulbul and brown shrike at the area this are just few of the angles of the whole picture of the
actual ecological system at Taganibong Creek. Hence, fauna at the study area also have its role
and its presence is significant for the completion of the whole system.



Recommendations
Ordinance from the LGU or even from the CMU Administration should be issued
prohibiting the residents along Taganibong Creek from throwing their household wastes
at the said water body to lessen their negative impact on the current condition of the
whole ecosystem especially the water quality of the creek;
Regular clean up drive must be implemented along Taganibong Creek to ensure the
maintenance of its cleanliness;
Regular diversity assessment as well as regular water quality assessment of the condition
of the water body must be monitored to know any development on the condition of
Taganibong Creek.

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