Bohol discovers over 1,400 critically endangered helmet orchids in forest reserve

TAGBILARAN CITY — Conservationists have documented over 1,400 specimens of the critically endangered Bohol Helmet Orchid during a recent monitoring exercise in the Loboc Watershed Forest Reserve located in Bilar town, according to provincial authorities.

The Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office conducted the on-site assessment in collaboration with several partner agencies to evaluate the population status of Corybas boholensis, a plant species found nowhere else in the world. The discovery provides fresh data on the distribution and abundance of the endemic orchid within one of Bohol's key forest reserves.

The monitoring activity represents a crucial step in developing targeted conservation strategies for the species, which faces significant pressure from habitat loss and degradation. The Loboc Watershed Forest Reserve, spanning thousands of hectares, serves as a vital refuge for numerous endemic and endangered species unique to the Visayas region.

Provincial environmental officials have indicated the findings will inform future management and protection measures for the critically endangered orchid population. The data gathered during the initial survey is expected to guide long-term conservation planning and resource allocation for biodiversity protection in Bohol.