Mt. Talinis - Our Home Our Life

The Mt. Talinis and Twin Lakes region or Cuernos de Negros of Negros Oriental has been identified as one of those on the top of the list of conservation priority areas and key biodiversity conservation site due to its high endemism and severity of threats (Heaney and Regalado, 1998; Mallari et al., 2001; Ong et al., 2002). Old growth forest still surrounds the peak and lakes covering an area of about 4800 hectares harboring 102 species of birds, 24 of mammals and 68 of amphibians, more or less 50% of these species are endemics. Of the 50 or so species of endemic birds, seven are found nowhere else but Negros and 13 are threatened to varying degrees including the rest of the other 42 vertebrate and tree threatened species (Alcala and Brown, 1998; Hicks, 2000; Dolino et al., 2004; Cariño, 2004). These endemic and threatened species include; the Writhed Hornbill Aceros waldeni, The Negros bleeding-heart Pigeon Gallicolumba keayi, Negros-striped Babbler Stachyris nigrorum, Jungle Fly-catcher Rhinomyias albigularis, Flame-templed Babbler Dasycrotapha speciosa, Visayan Warty Pig Sus cebifrons negrinus, Visayan Spotted Deer Rusa alfredi, Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit bat Nyctimene rabori, Golden-crowned Flying Fox Acerodon jubatus,Negros Shrew Crocidura negrina, Hazel’s Forest Frog Platymantis hazelae, and Monitor Lizard Varanus salvatorfor the vertebrate fauna whilst for plant species; the White lauan Pentacme contorta, Almon Shorea almon, Yakal S. astylosa, Guijo S. guiso, Red lauan S. negrosensis, Tangile S. polysperma, Almaciga Agathis philippinensis, and Kapa-kapa Medinilla magnifica.

About 3,045 hectares of this area is classified as Close Natural Forest whilst the 1,849 hectares is Secondary Natural Forest. This remaining forest patch is not only a habitat to wildlife but also serves as water source for the entire Southern Negros benefiting more than 15 municipalities and cities and the people of Negros, Cebu and Panay Islands relying on the renewable energies produced by the geothermal power plants generated by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and Green Core Geothermal Inc. Amongst these watersheds include; Bangculotan, Banica River, Banilad Creek, Cawitan River, Lawigan Creek, Okoy River, Siaton River, Tanjay River and Talinis Lakes. Major threats to the integrity of these species and its habitats are the continuous conversion of some areas to food production, and crop plantation especially hidden behind the mountain of forest trees either through illegal small-scale logging or slash and burn farming (Heaney and Regalado, 1998; Dolino et al., 2004; and Cadeliña et al., 2004; 2012) contributing to a very poor watershed management.