Carnaza Island

Carnaza
Geography
Location Visayan Sea
Coordinates 11°30′44″N 124°05′51″E / 11.51222°N 124.09750°ECoordinates: 11°30′44″N 124°05′51″E / 11.51222°N 124.09750°E
Archipelago Eastern Visayas
Area 173.5 ha (429 acres)
Highest point 55 m (180 ft)
Country
Municipality Daan Bantayan, Cebu

Carnaza Island is a 173.5 hectare turtle-shaped island located north of the mainland Cebu in the Philippines.

Geography

Carnaza Island is a 173.5 hectares (429 acres) turtle-shaped island. It lies between latitude 11˚30’ and 11˚32’ North, and between longitude 124˚04’ and 124˚06’ East. The island is bordered on all sides by the Visayan Sea.

Topography

The island’s topography includes coastal plains, mangrove swamps, lagoons and semi-rounded hills. Its coastal plain constitutes about 9.7% while semi-rounded hills constitute the biggest portion of the island covering about 14.4% of the total area. The mangrove forest has an area of about 10.063 hectares or 5.8% of the island. The highest point was measured at 55 meters (180 feet) above sea level.[1]

Very close to the coastline are the sitios of Carnaza, Daanbaryo, Liog-liog, Pantao, Candionisio and Linao.

Flora

The dominant upland vegetation is ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), which covered most of the slopes. Agricultural crops like coconuts, cassava, banana, sugarcane, corn and breadfruit, among others, are present in some areas.

Fauna

On a paper report on the survey conducted on the island on July 16–20, 1990. A total of 18 species of birds representing 7 orders and 15 families have been identified and reported. The most common species observed were glossy swiftlets (Collocalia esculenta), white-collared kingfishers (Halcyon chloris), pied trillers (Lalage nigra), black-naped orioles (Oriolus chinensis), Philippine mapgie robins (Copsychus saularis), Malaysia fantails (Rhipidura javanica), white-breasted woodswallows (Artamus leucorhynchus), glossy starlings (Aplonis panayensis), yellow-breasted sunbirds (Nectarinia jugularis) and Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus). For the rest of the species either only one or two individuals were seen or only either calls were heard.[1]

The islanders reported that the tabon bird (dusky megapode, Megapodius freycinet) used to be numerous in Carnaza Island.

Also listed on the report are the orders Cephalopoda, Gastropoda and Pelecypoda. Two genera of Cephalopods were identified, namely; Sepia and Sepioteuthis.

A total of 36 species belonging to 19 families of gastropods have been listed. Further study is needed to make a complete listing.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mapalo, Amuerfino M. (January–June 1991), "Notes on the Avifauna of Carnaza Island, Cebu, Philippines", Ecosystems Research Digest 1 (1): 30–34