The Mt. Apo Natural Park Protected Area Management Office under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region has installed eight new camera traps along wildlife trails inside Mt. Apo Natural Park to strengthen the monitoring of wildlife in the protected area.
During the first nights of operation, the camera traps recorded rare images and videos of several native wildlife species, including the Philippine warty pig, Philippine palm civet, Mindanao tree shrew, and red junglefowl.
According to the Protected Area Management Office, these animals are rarely seen because they typically flee when they detect the presence of people.
The newly installed camera traps are intended to improve wildlife monitoring and provide additional information on the presence and movement of animals within the country’s highest protected mountain.
OIC Protected Area Superintendent Clint Michael Cleofe said the data collected from the camera traps will help guide future conservation planning and management efforts in the park.
Cleofe added that the presence of these wildlife species indicates that the ecosystem of Mt. Apo Natural Park remains healthy and continues to support native fauna.
The monitoring initiative forms part of ongoing efforts by the DENR Davao Region to document biodiversity and strengthen the protection of wildlife within the protected landscape.
Authorities said the information gathered through the camera traps will contribute to conservation strategies aimed at preserving the park’s natural habitats and wildlife populations.
Mt. Apo Natural Park is one of the country’s protected areas and serves as a habitat for various endemic and native species found in Mindanao.
