Is the Philippine colugo gliding to decline? Some insights from our study
Biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth – is disappearing at an alarming rate. Even though many conservation efforts are in place, we’re still losing species far faster than we should. Scientists now believe that we are entering a “sixth mass extinction.” To stop this, we need to understand more about many species. Especially, what threatens them, where they live and how they live. But surprise, surprise! Some animals, especially those that are hard to observe, are a big question mark to science. And without science, whether we want or not, we cannot protect animals efficiently.
Therefore, at Kahibalo Foundation we want to get to know with some of the hardest species to study. One of them is the mysterious Philippine colugo, a gliding mammal found only in the Philippines. Despite being unique and fascinating (believe us – it is!), with the ability to glide between trees (observing it gliding is better than social media reels), very little is known about it. The last real scientific study on colugos in the country dates back to the 1980s.
If it is that difficult… what to do then?
What do scientists do un such cases? First step is to turn to local people! They have higher or lower knowledge on the species that is their neighbour. Scientifically this method is called “Local Ecological Knowledge” in short “LEK”. This involves collecting information in many different ways from locals who have lived close to these animals and their habitats. We decided to take this initial research step to gather first insights about this enigmatic colugo. Filip encouraged a group of students from University of San Carlos to join this research programme on “kagwang” (this is how locals call the Philippines colugo).
Field studies in Anda
We decided to go to Anda – the south-eastern tip of Bohol. Because you know what? Despite having one of the four existing forest patches in Bohol, nobody studied mammals there… so off we went! What we wanted to do?
- Find out how often and where the Philippine colugo is seen in Anda, Bohol;
- Learn how much the local community knows about the species;
- Understand what people think and feel about colugos and their conservation;
- Identify the main threats the species faces today.
These all information are needed to decide what we do further – leave it alone or act to preserve it?
How we did it?
Between June and September 2023, we interviewed 471 local residents from all 16 villages in Anda! What an achievement and team effort it was! We focused more on villages that have more forest, where people were more likely to have seen colugos. All participants had to be adults (18+) and had to have lived in the area for at least five years. Only that way they could answer our questions.
Our students who are Cebuano native speakers carried out the interviews. But fun fact is that they found out Boholano dialect a bit odd at first 😀 Nevertheless, they managed it very well! Our brave six ladies managed to talk to people 10–30 minutes in one interview. We asked questions about the participants’ background, their knowledge of the colugo, how often they see it, and their opinions about its conservation. We also showed photos of various animals. You may wonder “why” if we focused our study on colugos. The answer is simple: this practice helps to understand if answers of locals are reliable. If they hadn’t recognized the species, how would they say they often see colugos? In such cases answers are not taken into account.
What we found out?
We revealed that the Philippine colugo is still very much a part of life in Anda! An impressive 87% of people correctly identified the Philippine colugo from photos, especially men and farmers. Recognition didn’t depend on age or education – but people living near forests had more encounters and were generally more knowledgeable. Most of respondents also had either seen or heard of the colugo in the area! Obviously in forested villages people reported it more, but in villages without forest locals also spotted them!
People mostly saw colugos gliding in the afternoons, often on coconut and jackfruit trees. When asked about what colugos eat, around half of the people knew they feed on leaves and fruits . Farmers and those from forested villages gave more accurate answers. Some even told us the names of tree species! On the other hand, the species is rather indifferent to locals. Only some saw them as “useful” – either for food, their role in nature, or even as tourist attractions. Encouragingly, 84% of locals supported protecting the species, often for ecological or compassionate reasons.
There are also worse news…
When it came to population trends, the community’s views were mixed. Over a third of people believed the colugo population is increasing, often because “they are not disturbed” or “keep breeding.” Others thought the numbers were declining, mostly due to habitat loss and hunting. And what’s painful, threats remain and even continue…
While hunting is reportedly less common today due to stricter laws, nearly half of respondents had seen or heard of colugos being hunted. Mainly for food. Yes! People eat colugos! Nobody else reported this before. And it’s alarming! A few admitted to having caught or eaten them in the past. Sadly, some colugos also die accidentally – we found three electrocuted individuals tangled in electrical wires. What’s the real scale of it? We don’t know yet, but we’re investigating it further as we speak.
So… What now?
The findings we’ve just revealed bring about both opportunities and urgent challenges for conservation. While colugos are still widely seen – even in areas with little forest – their future is uncertain. Many locals believe the population is stable or even growing, but others have noticed a decline, mostly due to habitat loss and hunting for bushmeat. The animal’s visibility in coconut trees near villages might give the illusion of high numbers, but without scientific population monitoring, we can’t be sure.
What’s clear is that colugo hunting is common, especially for food. Some residents even shared recipes, indicating that colugo meat is a culturally accepted, possibly long-standing food source. While only a few people mentioned other threats like electrocution or trade, these issues deserve further investigation. (And if you want to know how to rescue a Philippine colugo from a power line, check here!)
Encouragingly, most residents support conservation, even if they don’t feel strongly connected to the species. This “neutral but compassionate” attitude offers a unique opportunity: educational programs, especially in schools and communities, can highlight the colugo’s ecological role and importance.
Next steps? Launch population monitoring, deepen our understanding of hunting drivers, and expand community education. By listening to and involving local people, we can build a conservation strategy that works – for both humans and colugos.
Kahibalo Foundation doesn’t stop!
Our study is the first after 30 years that focuses on colugo! We hope to bring you frequent results from now on. We believe the species deserves attention and as we’ve seen it might be decling. Why? We find the Philippine colugo very charismatic, interesting and it’s secrecy only triggers our curiosity!
Do some of the actions in “next steps” above ring a bell? IT SHOULD! Because we’re doing it ourselves! We already did population assessment in 4 villages! And our students were coming back to educate their fellow Filipinos on importance of the species. Results from the studies will come soon… but we can only give you a hint, that we have more aces in our sleeves. Keep fingers crossed for us!
Author: Filip Wojciechowski (Kahibalo Foundation)
