The Philippines declared Cleopatra’s Needle, an area over 100,000 acres on the island of Palawan, as a critical habitat. Critical habitats are lands outside protected areas that have habitats or other features essential for the conservation of threatened or endemic species. The Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat (CNCH) is almost seven times the size of the second largest critical habitat (Carmen Critical Habitat) and hosts about 85% of the mammals and birds endemic only to Palawan. Additional protections have been put in place to protect the area, including banning mineral extraction, quarrying, and wildlife trading, among others. Established tribal and indigenous groups are permitted to continue their traditional practices, provided they are not applied commercially. For the full story, see https://news.mongabay.com/2017/02/the-philippines-declares-more-than-10…;