Philippine squirrels spotted in forest of Ormoc City, Leyte

Did you know that there are squirrels endemic to the Philippines?

The Philippine tree squirrel (Sundasciurus philippinensis) known locally as the “kulagsing” is found in the Visayas such as in Bohol, Leyte, and Samar; and parts of Northern Mindanao such as in Surigao. 

In May 2024 alone, two Philippine tree squirrels were spotted in the forest of Ormoc City. A video recorded the presence of two “kulagsings.”

The two were sighted during a Biodiversity Monitoring in Tongonan, Ormoc City in the Province of Leyte on May 15, 2024. 

Ronelmar Aguilar, the uploader of the video, said that they have conducted regular information education campaign in the area since they started spotting the squirrels and have carried out a drone patrol as well to encourage more residents to protect this type of rodent. —GMA Regional TV