Sierra Madre (Philippines)

Sierra Madre (Philippines)
Range
The Sierra Madre Mountain Range: view from Barangay Partida in Norzagaray, Bulacan Province.
Country	Philippines
Region	Luzon Island
Highest point	Mount Anacuao
- elevation	1,849.83 m (6,069 ft)

The Sierra Madre is a mountain range in The Philippines. It is located along the north-eastern coast of Luzon Island, running north/south. Quezon National Forest Park is situated in the range.

Geography

The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. The range starts in the in the north in the province of Cagayan and ends in the south in the province of Quezon, just east of Laguna de Bay. To the west as it reaches the province of Nueva Vizcaya to form the Caraballo Mountains, with which it connects with the Cordillera Central range.

The range's highest point is Mount Anacuao at 6,069 feet (1,850 m). Several of the range's mountains are dramatic landforms, such as Mount Mirador which has views of Luzon from the peak. Ecoregions in the range are in the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (lower) and Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests (higher) biomes.

The Sierra Madre Mountain Range, view from near the Mount Oriod summit in Bulacan Province.

Endemic species

In the forest, in April 2010, the endemic lizard species Northern Sierra Madre Forest monitor lizard - Varanus bitatawa (common name: Butikaw) was described to science, although the Aeta and Ilongot indigenous peoples have known and used it as a food source.

Human Activities

Lower portions of the Sierra Madre, with habitat damage by logging and coal-making.

The Sierra Madre mountain range forest habitat is threatened by human activities. Settlers living at the lower portions of the slopes generally are supported by work in logging and coal-making. Some portions of the forest cover are already second growth forest.

See also

• Geography of the Philippines
• Ecoregions in the Philippines