Davao Gulf is a gulf situated in the southeastern portion of Mindanao in the Philippines.[1] It has an area of 5,200 km2 (2,000 sq mi) or about 520,000 hectares.[2] Davao Gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from the Philippine Sea.[3] It is surrounded by all five provinces in the Davao Region.[4] The largest island in the gulf is Samal Island. Davao City, on the Gulf's west coast, is the largest and busiest port on the gulf.[5] The Bagobo and the Kaagan / Kalagan, who are the indigenous lumad tribes endemic to Davao, are known inhabitants of the said gulf.[6]

Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf near Talikud Island, south of Davao City
Davao Gulf is located in Mindanao
Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf
Location within the Philippines
Davao Gulf is located in Philippines
Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf
Davao Gulf (Philippines)
LocationMindanao Island
Coordinates6°30′00″N 125°58′35″E / 6.5000°N 125.9763°E / 6.5000; 125.9763
TypeGulf
EtymologyDavao
Settlements

Wildlife edit

The gulf water is regarded as one of the most diverse cetacean habitats in the nation, being home to at least 10 species of toothed whales and dolphins such as sperm whales and beaked whales.[7] Also, whale sharks and sea cows are seen frequently.[8][9] Furthermore, several ecological phenomena have been observed in Davao Gulf such as a previously unknown predator of the crown-of-thorns starfish, new species records, and new species discoveries underlining the uniqueness of the marine resources in Davao Gulf.[10][11][12][13]

 
Map of Davao Gulf

References edit

  1. ^ "Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ Lacorte, Germelina. "Davao chamber hosts concert to save sea turtles". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  3. ^ "Protecting the Davao Gulf". Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  4. ^ "Protecting the Davao Gulf". Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  6. ^ "Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  7. ^ "Davao Gulf, PH". iNaturalist. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  8. ^ "Davao Gulf, PH". iNaturalist. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  9. ^ "eyot in the Davao Gulf". wwf.panda.org. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  10. ^ Bos A.R.; G.S. Gumanao; F.N. Salac (2008). "A newly discovered predator of the crown-of-thorns starfish". Coral Reefs. 27 (3): 581. Bibcode:2008CorRe..27..581B. doi:10.1007/s00338-008-0364-9. S2CID 34920961.
  11. ^ Ocaña O.; J.C. den Hartog; A. Brito; A.R. Bos (2010). "On Pseudocorynactis species and another related genus from the Indo-Pacific (Anthozoa: Corallimorphidae)". Revista de la Academia Canaria de Ciencias. XXI (3–4): 9–34.
  12. ^ Bos A.R.; H.M. Smits (2013). "First Record of the dottyback Manonichthys alleni (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae) from the Philippines". Marine Biodiversity Records. 6: e61. doi:10.1017/s1755267213000365.
  13. ^ Bos A.R. (2014). "Upeneus nigromarginatus, a new species of goatfish (Perciformes: Mullidae) from the Philippines". Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 62: 745–753.