Tamaraw are “dwarf buffalos” that can only be found on Mindoro Island! Their scientific name is Bubalus mindorensis and unfortunately, only 568 to 604 individuals were counted in the 2021 annual Tamaraw count (thank you to CJ B. for these numbers).

There was once thousands of them around 100 years ago, but unfortunately forest and grasslands lost to fires, mining, and even invasive plants continue to threatened these last remaining Tamaraw. They are currently classified as Critically Endangered under DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15 and on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Tamaraw love eating grass and young bamboo shoots in the last open grasslands of Mindoro. They also like to relax in tall grass and dense forest. They can be found in and around Mt. Siburan in Mindoro as well, where the last remaining Mindoro Bleeding Heart pigeons can also be found!

Why are these species important?

• They live in forest where people not only enjoy the outdoors by trekking or hiking, but where people also are dependent on forest resources (i.e bamboo, firewood, medicine). These species are a sign of how healthy the forest is. If the forest is not healthy enough for it, the forest is not healthy enough to sustain human health, and happiness.
• These forests are ecosystems, or places where life and the physical environment together form connected relationships and sustain each other. The forest ecosystem is important because they deliver water to us, and they absorb carbon dioxide and help control our climate.
• All the “ecosystem services” we have mentioned above, including the forest being a nice place to visit and get fresh air, are all FREE! No company or organization charges people for these services. But it is your government and the people who live nearby who must ensure these forests are around today, and for future generations.

How you can help

• Reach out to local DENR offices in Mindoro. Ask how you can volunteer or assist in existing programs, or even surveys of these areas.
• Read studies and examples of successful conservation efforts that empower local communities. Use your resources to connect with local organizations in Mindoro. Help find support, funding, training, and more to start or continue local conservation efforts.
• If you are not from Mindoro or are too far to visit, research into national forest laws that you can support, like the Forest Resources Bill.
• Continue educating yourself and others on the importance of local biodiversity and ecosystems for people, and the planet. And Tamaraw Month is celebrated every October, so look out for updates in that time of the year!
• Support Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. or MBCFI and the Haribon Foundation which continue to help conserve forests for the Philippines’ own unique land mammal, the Tamaraw.

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• Publish date: March 30, 2022
• Last updated: March 30, 2022