Mindoro Island, Philippines Forest Conservation News and Petition

[Harvey _Philippines]

Dear Friends,

One of the island in the Philippines is in dire need of your support. Its being threatened by mining. Its the island that I have been working where two new species of fruit bat has been recently discovered last 2007 (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070918-flying-fox.html) and 2008 (http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1644/07-MAMM-A-285.1) and now threatened. Its sad that we might not know anthing about this species because extinction is just around the corner with this threat of habitat loss.

"Back in 1988, only 8.5 % of the original forest cover remained.It holds many unique flora and fauna, including several recently described mammals, and most are classified as threatened.Currently, the remaining forests of Mindoro is a stronghold for 5 threatened island endemic birds: Critically endangered Mindoro Bleedingheart and Black-hooded CoucalEndangered Mindoro Imperial-pigeon and Mindoro Hornbill; Vulnerable Scarlet-collared Flowerpecker (and the restricted-range Luzon Water-redstart)As well as the Near-threatened Mindoro Scops-owl"-Prof. JC Gonzalez

Please feel free to read what happening

Background: (http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/im/im01...)

News: http://earthjedi. blogspot. com/2009/ 10/oriental- and-occidental- mindoro-forged. html

Online Petition: http://petitions. contact.ie/ content/support- hunger-strike- against-intex- resources- mining-project

Yours in conservation,
Harvey