The island of Camiguin, Philippines
21 September 2006
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The island of Camiguin, created by seven volcanoes (one is still active) is only 265 square kilometers (102 square miles) in size. This island is the smallest of the Philippine island group that is known to support endemic vertebrate species. There are approximately 7,000 islands in the Philippines. Camiguin has always been isolated from its neighbors, even when sea levels dropped 120 meters (130 yards) below current levels in the Pleistocene. This isolation allowed speciation to occur undisturbed. But this island ecosystem and its inhabitants are in grave danger from deforestation, the researchers warned in their paper. There are very few other places on our planet have four endemic species of vertebrates, making it clear why tiny Camiguin Island is deserving of international attention. It is also almost certain that other organisms on Camiguin are also endemic.
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