A frog that lives only in Palawan is showing that the rivers of Sultan Peak in Narra municipality are still clean and untouched.
The Centre for Sustainability PH inc. (CS) said the Barbourula busuangensis, also called the “Barbie frog,” survives only on rocks in cold, fast-flowing streams.
Because it cannot live in polluted water, CS said its presence means the mountain’s rivers remain in good condition.
Earlier this year, Tiemen Kreuwel, a student from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, studied the frog’s distribution in Sultan Peak for his thesis.
His findings confirmed that the area still has healthy waterways.
“The presence of the Barbourula is nature’s proof that Sultan Peak is still holding some of Palawan’s last untouched rivers,” CS said.
“This frog tells us that once the rivers are damaged, it will disappear, and so will a part of our natural heritage,” it added.
Center for Sustainability PH Inc. stressed the discovery reminds that Sultan Peak is an important place for conservation and must be protected from activities that could harm its rivers.
