Balabac Island is the southernmost island of the Palawan province, and therefore the westernmost undisputed island in the Philippines, only about north from Sabah, Malaysia, across the Balabac Strait. Administratively, the island forms the main part of the municipality of Balabac and is divided into 14 barangays (the other six barangays of the municipality are on other nearby islands): Balabac Island is home to various endemic species. It is the home of birds like the

grey imperial pigeon The grey imperial pigeon (''Ducula pickeringii'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in the Sulu Archipelago, Miangas and Talaud Islands. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. It is thre ...

(''Ducula pickeringii''), Philippine cockatoo (''Cacatua haematuropygia''),

blue-headed racket-tail The blue-headed racket-tail (''Prioniturus platenae''), also known as the Palawan racket-tail and locally as ''kinawihan'', is a parrot found in the western Philippines around Palawan. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the blue ...

(''Prioniturus platenae''), and the

Palawan hornbill The Palawan hornbill (''Anthracoceros marchei'') is a large forest bird endemic to the Philippines. It is one of the 11 endemic hornbills in the country. It is only found in Palawan and nearby islands of Balabac, Busuanga, Calauit, Culion and Co ...

(''Anthracoceros marchei''). The

Philippine mouse-deer The Philippine mouse-deer (''Tragulus nigricans''), also known as the Balabac chevrotain or ''pilandok'' (in Filipino), is a small, nocturnal ruminant, which is endemic to Balabac and nearby smaller islands (Bugsuk and Ramos) southwest of Palaw ...

, a subspecies of the greater mouse-deer (''Tragulus napu'') can only be found in this island. The Molbogs, a Muslim ethnolinguistic group, is concentrated in this island. Their livelihood includes farming, fishing and barter trading with the nearby Mapun and Sabah market centres. Cabo Melville Lighthouse 1892

References

Balabac Island (Important Birds Areas of Philippines)

The Molbog

External links

Balabac Island
at

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{{Authority control Islands of Palawan