Inventory of Herpetofauna in the Buffer Zone of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, San Isidro, Davao Oriental, Philippines

Abstract

The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) is a declared national park and a wildlife sanctuary located in the province of Davao Oriental in the Philippines. Most of the herpetofauna surveys conducted in the MHRWS were located in the protected areas of the mountain. Thus, this study was done to assess the surrounding buffer zone in the northwestern part of the mountain as a crucial step toward enhancing conservation and management policies for these taxa and reinforcing the importance of buffer zones as protective barriers around the core zones. Standard sampling technique for herpetofauna survey such as the cruising method in a 1-km transect line per study area was used. Pitfall trapping was also employed for reptile fauna. A total of 25 species of herpetofauna were documented in the survey, 10 species of which are anurans and 15 species are reptiles. The majority of the species documented are endemic to the Philippines. Moreover, threatened and near-threatened species were also observed in these areas. This only shows the importance of buffer zones in providing habitats to diverse herpetofauna aside from the core zones. Hence, proper conservation and sustainable practices shall be planned in order to maintain the biodiversity in the area while also serving the people in the nearby community.