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Buguey
Wetlands
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Location:
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18°l7'N, 12l°50'E; on the north coast of Luzon, in the municipality of Buguey, Cagayan Province. | ||||||||
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Area:
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c.14,400 ha (approximately 80% of Buguey Municipality consists of wetlands). | ||||||||
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Altitude:
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Sea level. | ||||||||
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Biogeographical
Province:
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4.26.12. | ||||||||
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Wetland
type:
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06, 07, 08, 10 & 19. | ||||||||
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Description
of site:
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A complex of coastal lagoons, freshwater marshes, brackish and saline marshes, mangrove swamps and intertidal mudfiats, with some fish ponds and shrimp ponds and a very large area of rice paddies; on the south shore of the Babuyan Channel, east of the mouth of the Cagayan River. | ||||||||
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Climatic
conditions:
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Humid tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of about 2,200 mm more or less evenly distributed throughout the year (Type IV). | ||||||||
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Principal
vegetation:
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The aquatic vegetation includes Nypa fruticans, mangrove species and Ipomoea reptans. Plant communities in adjacent areas include Pandanus sp and plantations of coconuts. | ||||||||
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Land
tenure:
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No information. | ||||||||
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Conservation
measures taken:
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None. | ||||||||
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Conservation
measures proposed:
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Land
use:
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Aquaculture and rice cultivation in parts of the wetland, and illegal hunting throughout. | ||||||||
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Possible
changes in land use:
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| Disturbances and threats: | The destruction of mangroves for the creation of shrimp and fish ponds has greatly reduced the extent of the mangroves, and this destruction continues. Waterfowl hunting, although illegal, is widespread, and there is extensive use of pesticides by the rice farmers. Ducks and egrets frequently feed in the rice paddies, and there have been incidents of birds dying from poisoning. | ||||||||
| Economic and social values: | The wetland is an important area for rice and fisheries production. | ||||||||
| Fauna: | An important
staging and wintering area for migratory waterfowl, notably ducks and shorebirds.
Some 3,000-5,000 ducks have been recorded in November, mostly Dendrocygna
sp and Anas luzonica. Up to 3,000 other waterfowl have been observed,
the commoner species including Ixobrychus sinensis, I. eurhythmus, I.
cinnamomeus, Bubulcus ibis, Egretta garzetta. E. intermedia, E. alba, Gallicrex
cinerea and Sterna albifrons. Over 940 shorebirds were recorded
in April-May 1986 including:
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| Special floral values: | No information. | ||||||||
| Research and facilities: | Some waterfowl censuses have been carried out by Alonzo-Pasicolan. | ||||||||
| References: | Alonzo-Pasicolan (1987); National Water Resources Council (undated). | ||||||||
| Criteria for inclusion: | 1b, 3b. | ||||||||
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Source:
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Haribon Foundation. | ||||||||