Mount Apo their ascent. Tourism in the region was threatened due to a massive haze engulfing the slopes of the mountain. The mountain later recovered after the government and local stakeholders initiated a holistic recovery plan for the entire national park. The mountain is home to over 272 bird species, 111 of which are endemic to the area. It is also home to one of the world's largest eagles, the critically endangered Philippine eagle, which is the country’s national bird. Lakes – There are four major lakes in Mt. Apo . Popular of these are Lake Agco, used to be called "The
Apo Island has a land area of approximately 74 hectares and rises to a height of 120 meters (390 feet) above sea level at its highest point. It can be reached by a 30-minute motorized boat ride from the village of Malatapay, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental. Apo Island was a community-organized marine sanctuaries, and as such it has been well documented by the global science community. The project was started when Dr. Angel Alcala, a marine scientist from the Silliman University Marine Laboratory introduced to the local fishermen the importance of creating a marine sanctuary in the area. Initially, there was hesitation on