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ENDANGERED SPECIES PROFILE Common Name: Brahminy Kite (Red-backed Scientific Name: Haliastur indus Sea-eagle Describe the

animals habitat. Habitats best suited to Brahminy Kites are broad mudflats such as those found in mangroves, estuaries and coasts. They are also found in freshwater wetlands such as ricefields and marshes. List the animals principal enemies in the wild. They may steal from other raptors including large ones like the White-bellied Fish Eagle. Their catch is eaten on the wing, to prevent theft. When several quarrel over a meal, they squeal. List the animals principal source of food. Brahminy Kites are more scavengers than hunters. But they also hunt for small prey (fish, crabs, shellfish, frogs, rodents, reptiles, even insects).

What elements in the animals habitat are most important for its survival? Brahminy Kite is generally a bird of the wetlands. Its habitat includes coastal estuaries, rivers, lakes, mangroves, mudflats and further inland where there is open space such as paddy land, mines and industrial towns.

What factors are now threatening or What steps are being taken to protect and endangering its survival? preserve the animal? Elsewhere, while they are still commonly seen Monitoring and enforcement of laws along mangrove coasts, their numbers are relating to the illegal trade in raptors declining due to habitat loss. within Philippines. Rescue and rehabilitation of the Brahminy Kite.

What are the chances of survival? Re-introduction and habitat restoration are strategic measures to ensure the long-term survival of the Brahminy Kite population and promote conservation awareness. The release program for the Brahminy Kite is an important model that provides a framework that can be replicated to develop other re-introduction efforts of the endangered species of Philippines.

What are other steps could be taken to preserve this species? Raising awareness about nature conservation within the different islands in the Philippines.

Why is it important to preserve this species? If we cherish these species, like we do other rare and beautiful objects, these living organisms become treasures of the highest magnitude.

ENDANGERED SPECIES PROFILE Common Name: Palawan Bearcat Describe the animals habitat. Inhabits thick vegetation in the lowland forests of Palawan, Philippines. They camouflage themselves in dense vegetation at the canopy of trees preventing easy discovery. List the animals principal enemies in the wild. Larger animals such as snakes and tigers would pose as the biggest enemies to the Binturong adults, along with birds of prey and small carnivores that could easily target one of the young cubs. Scientific Name: Arctictis binturong List the animals principal source of food. The Palawan Bearcat is omnivorous as it feeds on both fruits, and small animals like rodents, and birds. They are considered pests by farmers because they prey upon poultry. What elements in the animals habitat are most important for its survival? Although they are also known to hunt insects, birds and rodents which they stalk in a cat-like manner amongst the branches, the Binturong has evolved well to eating in the trees with front feet that are not only designed to climb and dig, but they can also hold onto fruit and even open it with their agile toes.

What factors are now threatening or What steps are being taken to protect and endangering its survival? preserve the animal? Threatened by extinction because of increasing Monitoring and enforcement of laws human activities in their habitat, this mammal relating to the illegal trade in raptors may become a victim of mans carelessness. within Philippines. The Binturong has been caught for their meat, Rescue and rehabilitation of the Brahminy captured and sold into the pet trade, subjected Kite. to vast habitat loss (mainly in the form of deforestation), and is also trapped and caught to be sold into the medicine market, where a number of their body parts are used in traditional remedies.

What are the chances of survival? Both growing Human settlements and forest clearance for agriculture are the main culprits and seeing as the Binturong needs dense jungle to successfully survive, plantations provide no sanctuary in their dwindling homelands.

What are other steps could be taken to preserve this species? Raising awareness about nature conservation within the different islands in the Philippines.

Why is it important to preserve this species? Because it is the only known animal with digestive enzymes capable of softening the seed coat of the Strangler Fig which is very important in the canopy of the rainforest ecosystem. This makes the Binturong a uniquely critical animal as well as an example of a keystone species.

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