Dr. Lawrence Heaney. Photo by Bong Arboleda.
“It is not Brazil, nor Madagascar, not even the Galápagos Islands that has the most stunning, gorgeous, and extraordinary mammals I have ever come to know of, but in the islands of Luzon in the Philippines,” said Dr. Lawrence Heaney, adjunct professor at the UP Institute of Biology and senior author of the book, “The Mammals of Luzon Island: A Biogeographic Perspective in Evolution, Ecology and Conservation.”
On August 10, biodiversity research leaders and authors Dr. Lawrence Heaney, Danilo Balete and Eric Rickart launched the book at the UP Biology auditorium. “The book was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press and released only last April 2016 in the United States,” said Dr. Perry Ong, head of the Biodiversity Research Laboratory.
“The book is the result of Dr. Heaney’s more than 35 years of extensive research on Philippine mammals in various parts of the Philippine archipelago, with the last 16 years focused on Luzon Island. All throughout Dr. Heaney’s research endeavors in the Philippines, he worked closely with the UP Institute of Biology and other units, namely, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), specifically the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB). Through this research partnership with BMB-DENR, the local government units and the local communities where his team worked, significant findings which are reported in the book were made possible,” Ong added.
The book launch was highlighted by the lecture of Dr. Heaney and Prof. Balete on the findings of their research. Heaney said that “the book aims to make their research report accessible to a broad audience as a source of information on Philippine biodiversity as well as maybe used as a high school and college textbook.”
“40-team-months” are clusters of people surveying for 40 months areas with a high biodiversity for native and endemic species as well as pests. One such team was led by Prof. Danilo Balete of the UP Institute of Biology. Heaney prepared a presentation that previewed the research findings of the project which was done from 2000 to 2012.
Members of the research, along with officials from the University of the Philippines and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau pose for a photo for posterity. Photo by Bong Arboleda.
Part of the research output cited was the discovery of 28 new species of native non-flying mammals, tagged as endemic mammals, in the rainforests of Luzon. “Cloud rats” also known as “native Philippine Murids”, were discovered in 2004.
The team also identified several rainforests as “areas of endemism,” including the Central Cordillera, Zambales, Northern and Central Sierra Madre, South Sierra Madre, Mt. Makiling, Mt. Banahaw, and the Central Bicol cluster over the areas of Mt. Labo, Mt. Isarog and Bondok Peninsula. “These areas have a high concentration of unique species,” Heaney said.
“Studies revealed that climactic and geologic factors since the beginning of time have produced the diversification of mammals particularly in the said areas of Luzon,” he added.
“While the Philippines has the most natural resources and biodiversity in the world, it has too the highest incidence of exploitation and destruction of natural resources,” Heaney said, pointing to the need to promote a heightened awareness of conservation perspectives.
During the book launch, copies of the book were given to selected stakeholders, such as the other units of the College of Science and UP Diliman, UP System, other academic institutions, the DENR, other government agencies, and civil society organizations. Present at the event were UP President Alfredo Pascual, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, College of Science Dean and Chair of the Diliman Science Research Foundation Jose Maria Balmaceda, Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation Executive Director Jose Canivel, Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Director Theresa Mundita Lim.
For more photos of the event, please click through the album below.
