Biological diversity or biodiversity is simply the full variety of life on earth – plants, animals and

microorganisms – including genes, species and even the entire ecosystems, and the vital services

these ecosystems provide to society.

The Philippines is considered a mega-diversity country rivaled

only by a few countries in the world when it comes to variety of

ecosystems, species and genetic resources. Many of the islands

comprising the archipelago are believed to have a very high

degree of land and animal endemism. The country hosts more

than 52,177 described species of which more than half is found

nowhere else in the world (Philippine Biodiversity Conservation

Priorities: A Second Iteration of the National Biodiversity Strategy

and Action Plan, 2002). On a per unit area basis, the Philippines

probably harbors more diversity of life than any other country on

the planet.

The country is also considered a biodiversity hotspot. This is

because the Philippines continues to experience an alarming rate

of destruction of these important resources brought about by

overexploitation, deforestation, land degradation, climate change,

and pollution (including biological pollution), among others.

TAXONOMIC

GROUP

NO. OF

SPECIES

NO. OF

ENDEMIC

SPECIES

NO. OF THREATENED SPECIES

(DAO 2004-15) AS OF 2014

CR EN VU OTS

TOTAL NO.

OF

THREATENED

SPECIES

Mammals 231 130 8 12 17 5

43

Birds 616 195 14 59 53 -

126

Reptiles 303 198 5 16 4 4

29

Amphibians 116 95 - 4 10 -

14

TOTAL

1264 618

27

91

84

9

211

Threatened species – a general term to denote species or subspecies considered as critically

endangered, endangered, vulnerable or other accepted categories of wildlife whose population is at

risk of extinction

WILD FAUNA / ANIMALS

TAXONOMIC

GROUP

NO.

OF

SPECI

ES

NO. OF

ENDEMIC

SPECIES

NO. OF THREATENED SPECIES

(DAO 2007-01) AS OF 2014

CR EN VU OTS TOTAL NO. OF

THREATENED SPECIES

Angiosperms 8,120 c. 5800 89 141 123 56 409 Gymnosperms 33 6 - 9 2 - 11 Pteridophytes 1,100 285 10 35 51 8 104

Bryophytes 1,271 195 - 2 - - 2

Algae 1,355 undetermined - - - - - Fungi, slime

molds, water

molds

3,555 undetermined - - - - -

Lichens 789 undetermined - - - - -

TOTAL 16,

223 99 187 176 64 526

WILD FLORA / PLANTS

CR – Critically Endangered - refers to a species or subspecies that is facing extremely high risk of extinction in

the wild in the immediate future

EN – Endangered - refers to species or subspecies that is not critically endangered but whose survival in the wild

is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating

SUMMARY OF THREATENED WILDLIFE SPECIES

TAXONOMIC GROUP

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012-

2013

2014

A. FAUNA*

Land Mammals

43 43 43 43 43 42 42 42 42 43

Birds 131 131 131 132 132 127 127 127 127 126

Reptiles 27 27 27 27 27 24 24 24 24 30

Amphibians 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

A. FLORA** 526 526 526 526 526 526 526

*Based on DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15 re National List of Threatened Fauna and 2011 CITES listed species

**Based on DENR Administrative Order No. 2007-01 re National List of Threatened Philippine Plants

Vu – Vulnerable - refers to species or subspecies that is not critically endangered nor endangered but is under

threat from adverse factors throughout their range and is likely to move to the endangered category in the near

future

OTS – Other Threatened Species - refers to species or subspecies that is not critically endangered, endangered

nor vulnerable but is under threat from adverse factors, such as over collection, throughout their range and is

likely to move to the vulnerable category in the near future