Kanlaon Volcano National Park

Located on the central highlands of Negros Occidental is stratovolcano. Mt Kanlaon was established as a National Park in 1934 for protection and preservation of the natural resources surrounding the area. It has a total land area of 24,557.6 ha. Mt. Kanlaon is surrounded by several craters and volcanic peak and serves as host to various waterfalls including the Sudlon and Quipot falls. It holds more than 40 km of foot trails leading to the apex of the mountain. It is one of the remaining wild areas in the country. The park is a home to 197 species of flora, most of them are found in the lowland areas; there are 114 species of montane forest; and 29 species of mossy forest. The forest is surrounded by small to medium trees, gymnosperms, herbaceous species, orchids, vines, epiphytes and mosses as well as 80 species of endemic plants. The park serves as a habitat for numerous species of wild life. Here dwell the endangered endemic birds such as Negros fruit doves, and Negros bleeding heart pigeon. There are also warblers, bulbuls; blue crowned raquet tailed parrot, white-winged cuckoo-shrike, white-troated jungle flycatchers, flame-templed babbler, woodpeckers as well as the Visayan tarictic hornbill. It also houses huge harmless monitor lizards, flying lizards and species of snakes. Reaching the summit-crater of the mountain is an exciting yet exhilarating activity, physically challenging but worth taking. The tropical wilderness of the Park offers a considerable insight on the work of nature.