Name Bea Mariz V. Villanueva Date: Nov.

18, 2022
Course/Section/Schedule BSA – BFA/MWF Score ________

Activity ___
Philippine Wildlife Species Profile

1. Common name: Sailfin Water Lizard

2. Scientific name: Hydrosaurus Pustulatus

3. IUCN Red List conservation status: Hydrosaurus pustulatus is

listed as Vulnerable under criteria A2acd+4acde.

4. Location: This lizard is native to silty lowland rivers in tropical forests of the Philippine
Islands and southern New Guinea.

5. Describe the animal’s habitat

This semi-aquatic species is generally restricted to riparian vegetation present in lowland
tropical moist forests (both primary and secondary) to open cultivated areas.

6. List the animal’s principal sources of food

It is probably omnivorous and is associated with certain food trees. It appears to have a
preference for particular shrubs and trees as resting places (often overhanging water) and is
usually collected from these. This is an oviparous species that bury eggs within river banks.

7. List the animal’s principal enemies in the wild

Predators of young Sailfins include snakes, birds and fish.

8. What elements in the animal’s habitat are most important for its survival?
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland

9. What factors are threatening or endangering its survival?

It is threatened by habitat destruction, pollution and overexploitation for the domestic pet
trade, yet less is known about the international component of the trade.

10. What steps are being taken to protect and preserve the animal?
The chief of the PAMBCS, Ranoray Love Noro said that his office is now on the final stage of
having the lizard habitat the Solana River as a critical area, which will restrict all forms of
hunting or encroachment.
 11. What are its chances of survival?
Currently, only 5.7% of the suitable habitat for this Philippine species is considered protected
area. Furthermore, only 0.8% of the coastal habitat within the Bicol Peninsula falls in the
protected area. These numbers are probably even smaller now due to habitat destruction.

12. What other steps could be taken to preserve this species?

One way to improve conservation efforts is to expand the protected areas of the Philippian
archipelago. Currently, only 5.7% of the suitable habitat for this Philippine species is
considered a protected area. Furthermore, only 0.8% of the coastal habitat within the Bicol
Peninsula falls in the protected area.

13. Why it is important to preserve this species?

As a nationally protected threatened species in international trade, the Philippine Sailfin Lizard
fulfills the most important criteria for a CITES Appendix III listing (Res. Conf. 9.25 (Rev.
CoP18)) which could potentially assist in protecting wild populations in the Philippines.
B. Why study biodiversity? Write your one-page analysis.

The term biodiversity (from “biological diversity”) refers to the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from
genes to ecosystems, and can encompass the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural processes that
sustain life. Biodiversity includes not only species we consider rare, threatened, or endangered but
also every living thing—from humans to organisms we know little about, such as microbes, fungi,
and invertebrates. Biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives. We value biodiversity for
many reasons, some utilitarian, and some intrinsic. This means we value biodiversity both for what it
provides to humans and for the value it has in its own right.

Utilitarian values include the many basic needs humans obtain from biodiversities such as food,
fuel, shelter, and medicine. Further, ecosystems provide crucial services such as pollination, seed
dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural pests.
Biodiversity also holds value for potential benefits not yet recognized, such as new medicines and
other possible unknown services. Biodiversity has cultural value to humans as well, for spiritual or
religious reasons for instance.

The intrinsic value of biodiversity refers to its inherent worth, which is independent of its value to
anyone or anything else. This is more of a philosophical concept, which can be thought of as the
inalienable right to exist. Finally, the value of biodiversity can also be understood through the lens of
the relationships we form and strive for with each other and the rest of nature. We may value
biodiversity because of how it shapes who we are, our relationships with each other, and social
norms. These relational values are part of people’s individual or collective sense of well-being,
responsibility for, and connection with the environment. The different values placed on biodiversity
are important because they can influence the conservation decisions people make every day.