“The 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition is the largest expedition undertaken by the Academy. It will be the first expedition to make a comprehensive survey of both terrestrial and marine diversity. Between April 26 and June 10, 2011, Academy botanists, entomologists and marine biologists, will explore shallow-water reefs, the deep sea, and terrestrial and freshwater areas for new life and document the biodiversity of this island nation. Educational outreach will be conducted on location and back at the Academy.” (http://www.calacademy.org/science/hearst/)

Joining the Academy’s expedition team are researchers from the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Philippine National Museum and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The expedition is also being organized with groups like Conservation International-Philippines, Pusod, and Philippine Science Centrum.  Research areas include the Verde Island Passage, Mt. Makiling, Mt. Isarog and Taal Lake.

Right now, the expedition’s shallow water team members are based in Mabini, Batangas and are finding all sorts of amazing underwater creatures, a number of which are new species! For regular updates, visit the expedition blog at http://www.calacademy.org/blogs/expedition/

In the meantime check out this video of spawning corals that the team was able to document!

By the end of the 17th century however,  500 species of birds, 150 species of quadrupeds, and roughly 10,000 species of invertebrates were recognized by science. By then, the ark is overcrowded. Now, we know that there about 5,498 species of mammals, 10,027 birds, 9,084 reptiles and 6,638 amphibians (Hoffman et al., 2010). You can tell me to exclude the marine mammals and the birds that spend most of their lives in open ocean but they still won’t fit in Noah’s Ark, however he calibrated his cubits. Especially if they came in pairs. Even if there were only a pair of rice-field rats in there.

Linnaeus solved this problem by saying that the Ark should be interpreted symbolically, rather than literally. He who has described, named, and catalogued about 6,000 species would know that biological reality does not reconcile with the Biblical story.

Taken literally, or metaphorically, with the way we’re consuming our resources, perhaps given a few years, life on Earth will fit again in Noah’s Ark.

Keynote speakers for the opening program on 11 April include Dr. Angel C. Alcala, the former Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and former president of Silliman University; Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, former undersecretary of the DENR and current president of Silliman University, and Dr. Lawrence Heaney, a research biologist from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, in the United States. Both Alcala and Heaney are pioneer members of the Society.

Over 200 delegates have arrived from all over the Philippines from Batanes to Zamboanga, as well as participants from Australia, the United States, Guam, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium. WCSP members, DENR personnel from the central and field offices, non-government organizations, research institutions, teachers and students will be convening to discuss the state of biodiversity research and conservation throughout the Philippines, and helping identify priorities for the future. “The Philippines has the greatest concentration of unique plants and animals of any country in the world,” says Dr. Heaney. “You can think of the biodiversity of the Philippines as being like the Galapagos Islands times ten. This biological richness can become a great source of national pride, ecotourism, and economic stability.”

The growing participation in the annual symposium demonstrates the increasing interest in biodiversity in the Philippines. In part, this growth reflects concern about the rapid loss of native plant and animal species within the Philippines, as more natural land is developed or farmed. This year’s theme, “Celebrating 20 Years, Preparing for Future Challenges,” is a prompt for a review of the status of Philippine biodiversity over the past two decades, WCSP’s growth and contribution, and planning and networking to continue to advance wildlife research and conservation in the Philippines.

According to Dr. Alcala, “In the early 1990s, only few faculty members in selected higher education institutions were engaged in biodiversity research.  There is probably no question that WCSP has, through its annual symposia, contributed to the increasing number of teachers in higher education institutions who have been conducting research on biodiversity and are involved to varying extent in conservation activities.”
Negros Oriental is an excellent location for this symposium with its rich biodiversity.  Along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government protects this biodiversity through the Provincial Wildlife Conservation Council, and the official mascot of Negros Oriental, the Negros Bleeding-heart Pigeon.

Sponsors of the symposium include Flora and Fauna International, Smart Communications, Conservation International, Bat Conservation International, the University of Kansas, The Field Museum of Natural History, and the Province of Negros Oriental (offices of the Governor, the Vice-Governor, and the Congressman of the 1st District).

Source: WCSP Symposium Organizing Committee

The Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines (WCSP) is a professional organization of wildlife researchers, managers, scientists, and conservationists. The Society was formed to advance wildlife research and conservation in the Philippines through promoting collaborative research, providing technical assistance and training and increasing public awareness. Since 1992, wildlife biologists and conservationists from throughout the country have been meeting at different venues around the Philippines every April and the proceedings from most of these annual meetings have been published. The WCSP was officially registeredin 1993.

Source: WCSP 2011 Symposium announcements