Tamaraw (Gab Mejia/Manila Bulletin file photo) The tamaraw, a wild cattle species only found in Mindoro Island and listed as critically endangered, is the focus of attention of many activities as the country observes National Tamaraw Month. Activities of government agencies tasked to take care of the tamaraw will center on raising awareness of the importance of the protection and conservation of the tamaraws. Its population is about 600, with 480 in Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park, the United Nations Development Program - Philippines reported in March 2022. The special month for the endangered water buffalo started in 2002 when former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared October a “special month for the conservation and protection of the Tamaraw in Mindoro” through proclamation no. 273. The proclamation encouraged all government agencies in Mindoro to implement activities to conserve tamaraws and their habitats. The tamaraw (scientific name Bubalus mindorensis) is the largest endemic mammal in the Philippines. It is a dwarf water buffalo from the water bovine family that can live up to 20 to 25 years. Here are the differences between a carabao and a tamaraw, according to a World Wide Fund for Nature article by Gregg Yan: The horn of a tamaraw is V-shaped, its coat is shaggy, and fur can be a chocolate color to ebony, and its tail is shorter than a carabao. An adult tamaraw is four feet tall with an average weight of 300 kilograms (kgs). The Biological Resource Research Institute for Mindanao described the horn of a carabao as a sickle shape with a body color of light grey to slate grey. The average weight of a matured Philippine carabao is 500 kg for males and 425 kg for females, according to the Agri-Infohub of the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office of Oriental Mindoro. The tamaraw population declined over the years due to illegal poaching, habitat loss, and diseases, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said. The tamaraws lost their habitat because of “infrastructure development, illegal logging, and deforestation,” a Manila Bulletin article reported. A Rinderpest outbreak in the 1930s also contributed to population decline. Today, the tamaraw still belongs to the list of critically endangered species of the International Union for Conservation and Nature and the DENR. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Tamaraw na Tinatangi, Pamana ng Lipi” (Revered tamaraw, our people’s legacy), which highlights the importance of supporting joint efforts to protect and conserve Tamaraws. (Alexa Basa)