DENR recognizes local discoverers of endemic owl

TWO local biologists who discovered an owl endemic to Cebu were given recognition by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 last Monday.

Lisa Marie Paguntalan and Philip Godfrey Jakosalem, both of the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PBCFI), received a certificate of recognition for the discovery of the Cebu hawk owl, or Ninox rumseyi.

The Cebu hawk owl is one of eight new species and one subspecies of owls unveiled last month by a team of international and local experts.

The others are the Luzon hawk owl (Ninox philippensis), Mindoro hawk owl (Ninox mindorensis), the Romblon hawk owl (Ninox spilonata), the Mindanao hawk owl (Ninox spilocephala), the Sulu hawk owl (Ninox reyi) and Camiguin hawk owl (Ninox leventis).

“The newly discovered Cebu hawk owl could be found in the remaining forest patches in Alcoy… and Tabunan in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape,” said DENR 7 Executive Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo.

Challenge

The Cebu hawk owl is the third bird species endemic to Cebu. The two others are the Black Shama (Copychus cebuensis), or “siloy,” and the Cebu Flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor).

Montejo acknowledged the efforts and hard work of the PBCFI and stressed the importance of discovering new species in Cebu.

“The challenge now among the various stakeholders particularly the communities is to sustain the protection and conservation of these newly found species as these contribute to the ecological balance and biodiversity,” Montejo said.