Giant Scops Owl

Birds > Strigidae & Owls

The Giant Scops Owl (Otus gurneyi), also classified as Mimizuku gurneyi, is one of the most distinctive and formidable nocturnal raptors endemic to the Philippine archipelago. Native exclusively to the southern islands of Mindanao, Dinagat, and Siargao, this rare...

Red Tree Rat

Mammals > Muridae & Tree Rats

The Red Tree Rat (Pithecheir melanurus), also known as the Monkey-footed Rat, is one of the most anatomically specialized and charming arboreal rodents inhabiting the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. Confined primarily to Peninsular Malaysia, this nocturnal...

Painted Helmet Orchid

Plants > Orchidaceae & Helmet Orchids

The Painted Helmet Orchid (Corybas pictus) is one of the botanical world’s most enchanting and diminutive miniature terrestrial orchids. Nestled within spongy, emerald cushions of moss carpeting the misty mountain ridges of Java and Sumatra, this tiny geophyte...

Showy Medinilla

Plants > Melastomataceae & Flowering Shrubs

The Showy Medinilla (Medinilla magnifica), known locally in the Philippines as ‘Kapa-kapa,’ is an iconic epiphytic evergreen shrub celebrated across the botanical world for its lavish, chandelier-like blossoms. Perched high in the misty cloud forest...