Tamaraw population in Mindoro park up 12 percent

MANILA, Philippines — The number of tamaraws in the Mount Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) in Mindoro rose by 12 percent this year, according to the office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Mimaropa.

The DENR-Mimaropa cited the Tamaraw Conservation Program Office for the increase after recording 425 tamaraws during the 2026 Annual Tamaraw Population Count.

The count was conducted from April 15 to 20 at the core zone monitoring site of the MIBNP. 

Based on the same monitoring method, the tamaraw count in the park last year was at 380.

The figure recorded this year refers only to the tamaraws monitored within the MIBNP, which hosts the country’s largest known remaining population of the critically endangered species.

The park has been serving as a primary long-term monitoring site for tamaraws since 2000. 

Other confirmed tamaraw habitats in Mindoro are the Siburan-Aruyan-Dangari-Iyason-Kinarawan Critical Habitat and the Upper Amnay Watershed.