Super Typhoon Uwan struck the Philippines in November 2025, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Many Filipinos acknowledged the Sierra Madre Mountain Range’s possible role in softening the storm’s impact, highlighting the vital connection between our homes and the surrounding forest ecosystem.
Every wild animal matters in saving this mountain range, because they help the forest thrive. Here are five of them whom you might recognize.
THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE (Scientific name: Pithecophaga jefferyi)
This is our National Bird. But with fewer than 500 left, this majestic Bird is in danger of extinction due to habitat destruction.
Philippine Eagles are intelligent. They are observant of their surroundings and plan every move with intention, according to the documentary “Bird of Prey.”
There is a need to find ways to enlarge their population because, as of now, they mate for life but only raise one chick every two years. This is insufficient for their population to recover sufficiently to overcome the risk of extinction.
THE PHILIPPINE CROCODILE (Scientific name: Crocodylus mindorensis)
A shy, freshwater reptile, the Philippine Crocodile is very different from the aggressive, far more dangerous Saltwater Crocodile in the Philippines. The Philippine Crocodile would rather avoid humans than attack them. Unfortunately, only about 200 now exist in the wild, putting them at risk of extinction.
National Scientist Angel Alcala told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2020 that the Philippine Crocodile plays a vital role in maintaining healthy river ecosystems, first by their diet of Rats and Snails, which helps farmers, and second, as the leading predator in the ecosystem.
Because of the Philippine Crocodile, Fish populations are healthier – the Crocodile eats both the weak and dominant Fishes. Their waste provides nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, that benefit some plants and animals.
In other words, the Philippine Crocodile is a Guardian of their ecosystem’s food web.
THE GOLDEN-CROWNED FLYING FOX (Scientific name: Acerodon jubatus)
This surprising animal is exceptionally large for a Bat. If you see one of them hanging upside down from a rooftop, it seems to be almost as large as a human. This makes them one of the largest Bats in the world.
What adds to their size is not their head, which resembles that of a Fox, but their wings. Outspread, the wings are larger than human arms. This huge Bat promotes forest regeneration by eating fruit and dispersing seeds on the forest floor through its dung, according to iucnredlist.org. It is also a pollinator of many different trees and plants. In doing so, they contribute to the health of forests, especially in Sierra Madre.
Unfortunately, this amazing Bat is in danger of extinction due to hunting and habitat loss.
THE SEA COW (Scientific name: Dugong dugon)
There is hope in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, the largest protected area in the country and the richest in terms of nurturing genetic diversity and habitat diversity, according to UNESCO. One creature it nurtures is the Dugong – of the order Sirenia – who are also called Sea Cows.
The large, gentle, and slow-moving Dugong is a distant relative of Elephants, according to National Geographic. Most of their day is spent grazing on seagrass. One Dugong can eat 88 pounds of seagrass a day. Unfortunately, extreme weather events like cyclones and floods have intensified with climate change, damaging and reducing the Dugong’s food source.
The Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park plays a prominent role in efforts to save and increase the numbers of threatened species, such as the Sea Cow.
THE PHILIPPINE WARTY PIG (Scientific name: Sus philippensis)
The Philippine Warty Pig has two pairs of warts, with hair extending outwards from them near the jaw. They may not meet human standards of beauty, but there is a rock-and-roll charm to their looks. This animal is endemic to the Philippines.
According to Animalia, they once prevailed across many habitats, but today they live only in remote forests, especially in the Sierra Madre mountains of Luzon. They communicate through squeaks, grunts, murmurs, and similar Pig sounds. Their hearing is keen, and their sense of smell is acute. The Philippine Warty Pig eats leaves, grass, fruits, and insects, among others.
These Pigs are threatened by hunting, deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal logging. Loss of habitat has forced Warty Pigs to live near domestic ones, leading to some hybridization and further threatening the Philippine Warty Pig population.
The IUCN Red List classifies this Pig as Vulnerable, and their numbers are decreasing.
5 WAYS SIERRA MADRE PROTECTS US
We must #ProtectSierraMadre because it’s a natural source of biodiversity, which is the interconnectedness of all forms of life on our planet. Below are five benefits provided by the Sierra Madre Mountains.
PROVIDES ECOLOGICAL BALANCE
Sierra Madre provides vital services such as pollinating plants, recycling nutrients, keeping soil healthy, controlling pests, and regulating water.
SHELTERS IMPORTANT PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The mountain range protects various crops and animals, enables the discovery of new medicines, and keeps natural landscapes beautiful.
SUSTAINS FOOD SYSTEMS
Sierra Madre also helps promote sustainable food systems at minimal environmental cost. For example, some animals are sustained by fruits, the seeds of which fall to the ground in their dung. In this way, forest food systems are maintained.
STABILIZES CLIMATE
It keeps ecosystems stable and resilient, enabling them to better withstand disturbances, function more healthily, and provide a stable climate.
PROTECTS US FROM STORMS
Sierra Madre provides a natural shield against extreme weather, such as typhoons and storm surges.
The Sierra Madre mountains help minimize the destructive force of typhoons, saving lives, protecting infrastructure, and reducing damage to ecosystems and livelihoods, according to the Climate Change Commission’s article, “Sierra Madre: Mountain Range For Resilience”.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LEADING THE WAY
The Indigenous People of the Sierra Madre, such as the Agta and Dumagat, have historically cared for these forests because of their spiritual connection to nature. However, things have changed, and every year some 9,000 hectares of its forests are lost, according to the Haribon Foundation.
We must be inspired to become stewards of God’s creation by protecting the Sierra Madre and nurturing its animals, the way the Indigenous People do.
