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The lowland and montane monsoon forests of this ecoregion contain many endemic birds, mammals, and other kinds of animals. If you were to travel across the Sulu Sea from Manila to the northern tip of Borneo, you wouldn't have to go by boat the whole way. The island of Palawan forms a natural land bridge over much of that distance. Long and narrow, Palawan is one of several thousand islands in the Philippines archipelago. It's also home to all sorts of creatures found nowhere else on Earth, including the Palawan fruit bat, the Palawan flycatcher, and the Palawan peacock-pheasant.
Palawan is a fascinating place in part because its plants and animals have more similarities with those of Borneo than with those of other islands in the Philippines. The human population density here is quite low, which means that the pressures on its forests are quite low. The island contains a diverse assortment of habitats -- including montane forests, semi-deciduous forests, lowland rain forests, and mangroves, which in turn support many different kinds of plants and animals.
The island of Palawan is the only place where the endangered Calamian deer, or hog deer, lives. Heavy set and compact, this deer frequents marshes and swamps. The island is also the home of the threatened Fischer's pygmy fruit bat and three species of Sunda tree squirrels. Palawan blue-flycatchers, Palawan flowerpeckers, and grey-imperial pigeons can also be found in the treetops.
Illegal logging, hunting, and regular burning threaten the forests and wildlife of this ecoregion. What's more, there are limited protected areas, and existing laws are poorly enforced.
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