30 reasons to visit the Philippines

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Squid​

Squid is so common in the country you’ll surely find them for sale in most wet markets and even grocery stores. While giant squids prefer at the bottom of the ocean floor, young ones tend to appear at the surface.

 

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Sea Urchin​

This spherical animal covered with spine is another marine creature you may want to be cautious about. They inhabit the seabed of all oceans in the world. They come in various species with some can even be eaten raw, and in the Philippines, with vinegar.

 

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Pygmy Seahorse​

Out of 54 species of seahorse, 10 of which can be found in the Philippines, including the Pygmy seahorse. Seahorse inhabits the tropical waters particularly the shallow areas such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, and mangroves. Finding this particular species can be a bit of challenge since they are one of the smallest in the world with an average size of less than 2 cm.

 

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Snowflake Eel​

Anyone thinking to have an eel as pet may want to consider snowflake eel because they are the most friendly and suits life in an aquarium. However, the aquarium must be secured since they are good at escaping, passing through even small holes. Typical length is 20 inches but some can reach up to 39 inches.

 

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Frogfish​

This small and stocky marine animal are found in almost all tropical seas in the world. They are covered in small spines or thorns enabling them to camouflage to avoid predators as well as attract prey. They live at the bottom of the sea particularly around reefs.

 

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Decorator Crab​

These crabs decorate themselves with pieces of sponge, algae, and other sedentary animals and plants to ward of predators as well as sneak up on its target. Decorator crabs come in various species with achaeus spinosus or spider crab being common in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan.

 

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Harlequin Shrimp​

This saltwater shrimp can grow up to 5 cm in length and only eats starfish, preferably the small and more sedentary ones, to survive. Typical color is cream or white with spots which could be red or purple.

 

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Eagle Ray​

Eagle rays have long tails and long wings that can stretch up to 7 feet from tip to tip. In spotted eagle rays, each of them is different from the other in a sense that each has a unique pattern, just like human fingerprints. Humans should avoid them though as their sting can cause intense pain and bacterial infection.

 

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Nudibranch​

This marine animal can easily gain attention because of their extraordinary colors and forms. Nudibranchs are soft-bodied molluscs inhabiting the seas of various depths all over the world. Adult nudibranch can grow up to 23 inches long.

 

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Mandarin Fish​

Mandarin fish is another brightly colored creature found in the warmer waters just like the Philippine seas. It is most noted for its bright blue color with swirly orange stripes although some species are red with black stripes. Their typical size is 6 cm only and they tend to inhabit reefs and lagoons.

 

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Banded Pipefish​

Also called ringed fish, this fish from the seahorse family has a long body which is typically cream-colored with rings from tip to tip. They are widespread throughout the tropical waters and tends to inhabit tide pools, lagoons, and reefs close to the ocean floor. What makes this species more interesting is that, the males are ones giving birth instead of the female.

 

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Flying Gurnard​

Flying gurnards have elongated body but may look wide when they stretch their large pectoral fins. They could be brownish or greenish with patches which is either reddish or yellowish. They feed on small fish, bivalves and crustaceans and can grow up to 20 inches in length. They tend to inhabit the bottom of tropical waters.

 

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Moorish Idol​

Looks familiar? A moorish idol named Gill was one of Nemo’s tank-mates in the movie Finding Nemo. This species is notable for its black, white, and yellow bands which makes them a favorite aquarium pets however, they are kind of difficult to keep in the aquarium because they need large tanks, can become destructive, and their diet can be hard to replicate.

 

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Flamboyant Cuttlefish​

Frequently seen in the Visayas, the species are notable for their maroon, dark brown, and red with a hint of white colors. They inhabit the shallow waters and can even be found walking along the seafloor. They can grow up to 3 inches and live for about a year only. They are not suitable for consumption, though, as they are highly toxic.

 

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Bamboo Shark​

Bamboo sharks are small sharks that can grow up to 48 inches long. Their tails are long, longer than the rest of their body length. They inhabit the shallow waters particularly tidepools, coral beds, and around boulders.

 

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Giant Mantas (Manta birostris)​

This largest type of ray in the world can grow as big as 7 meters across and a weight of about 3,000 kg. They may swim alone or travel in groups and sometimes with other fish species.

Seeing mantas in their natural habitat is a treat to divers and non-divers alike. They are one of the most popular marine creatures not only because of their size but also because of their calm and peaceful behavior even to humans. Some have even survived a few years in captivity given the right size of the aquarium.

 

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32 Tan Tock Seng Hospital

 

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Dugong (Sea Cow)​

Being a herbivorous marine mammal, dugongs feed on seagrass – from the leaves down to the roots. They are commonly found in shallow water with high concentration of seagrass, although they are rarely found in groups because there’s usually not enough food to support large population. Referred to as “lady of the sea”, dugongs are approximately 3 meters in length. Their number in the country has significantly decreased and is one of the marine animals with threatened population worldwide. Dugong is the first marine mammal placed under protection in the Philippines.

 

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Napoleon Wrasse​

Also called humphead wrasse and locally called mameng, this marine animal is usually found on coral reefs. They typically measure approximately 1 meter from tip to tail but there are those that can grow up to 2 meters in length. They are notable for the hump on their foreheads, hence the other name. They are also noted for their thick lips and their color which vary from blue-green to green and purplish-blue. Their population is declining due to reasons such as illegal and overfishing, habitat loss, and poor management. They are listed as endangered species and are being conserved and protected.

 

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Pacific Bluefin Tuna​

The bluefin tuna is considered as a luxury fish and is one of the world’s most expensive tuna. But because of their commercial value and high market demand, their population greatly declined and is now considered as a threatened species.