Protecting the tamaraw requires more than safeguarding its remaining population. It also calls for sustained habitat protection, scientific research and cooperation among government agencies, conservation groups and local communities, experts said during a forum hosted by Mindoro State University (MinSU) through the Office of the Vice President for Research, Innovation, Technology and Extension, on October 15, 2026.
The forum, titled “Targeted Action for Mindoro’s Resources and Wildlife: A Forum for the Tamaraw,” was held at the A-STEER Building at MinSU-Victoria (Main) Campus as part of the 2026 Tamaraw Month celebration themed "Tamaraw at Katutubong Kultura: Mga Yamang Ipinamana. Alagaan nang Sama-Sama".
Dr. Mikko Angelo G. Reyes, a veterinarian from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office in MIMAROPA led the discussion on the Tamaraw Conservation Program, focusing on the conservation strategies designed to ensure the survival of the critically endangered species endemic to Mindoro Island.
The session also included the Tamaraw Conservation and Management Action Plan (TCMAP) 2024–2033, a 10-year national framework that guides efforts to protect and recover the tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), a critically endangered species found only on Mindoro Island.
The plan was developed following a 2018 Population and Habitat Viability Assessment involving conservation specialists, government agencies and partner organizations, including the Department of Agriculture and the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. The initiative was undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Tamaraw Conservation Program Office, with support from BIOFIN Philippines.
Dr. Leticia E. Afuang, Board Member of MBCFI, and Ms. Pauline Maglipon, Research Coordinator of the Thriving Together with Tamaraw Project, also shared their expertise on conservation and research initiatives.
“We don’t monitor the tamaraw just to know how many there are today. We monitor them so that there will be tamaraw to count tomorrow,” Maglipon said, highlighting the long-term purpose of population monitoring.
She also expressed hope that the forum would encourage more Mindoro students to take part in wildlife conservation.
The tamaraw, recognized as one of the world’s rarest buffalo species, is found only on Mindoro Island. Its survival remains threatened by habitat loss, environmental degradation and illegal hunting, making sustained conservation efforts crucial to its recovery.
The forum comes amid continuing efforts to protect the tamaraw and its habitat. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources recorded 425 tamaraws in the core zone of Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park during its 2026 population count, up 12 percent from 380 in 2025. However, conservation groups continue to warn that habitat loss and fragmentation threaten the species’ long-term survival.
Observed every October under Presidential Proclamation No. 273, Tamaraw Month calls for collective action to conserve the species and its natural habitat. (jdtdc)
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