13/07/2026
The Mindanao treeshrew "Tupaia everetti" locally called “tingkolit,”
endemic in Mindanao region and present in Mt. Apo Geo Park.😊
TINGKOLIT SIGHTING 🌿
A tiny mammal in Mt. Apo is helping scientists read the story of Mindanao’s forests.
The Mindanao treeshrew, scientifically known as Tupaia everetti and locally called “tingkolit,” was documented in Mt. Apo Natural Park during a biodiversity monitoring survey in 2026.
The record may seem small at first.
But in conservation, even a small animal can carry a big message.
The tingkolit is an endemic mammal of the Mindanao Faunal Region, meaning it is naturally found only in this part of the Philippines. It is a fast-moving, ground-dwelling treeshrew that may look like a squirrel at first glance, but belongs to a different group of mammals.
What made the Mt. Apo record significant was not only the species itself, but where it was found.
During the monitoring survey, researchers recorded the Mindanao treeshrew in a mid-montane zone inside the protected area. This suggests that the species may occupy a broader elevation range than previously understood, adding new information to what scientists know about its habitat and distribution.
Findings like this matter because biodiversity monitoring does more than list species.
It helps scientists understand which animals are still present, where they are surviving, and how healthy their habitats may be. Small mammals such as treeshrews can be sensitive to changes in habitat quality, making them useful biological indicators of forest condition.
Mt. Apo Natural Park is one of Mindanao’s most important protected landscapes, home to high-elevation forests, rare wildlife, and ecosystems that continue to reveal new information through field research.
The tingkolit reminds us that not all important wildlife is large, famous, or easy to see. Some are small, quick, quiet, and hidden near the forest floor — yet they can still help scientists understand how much life remains in a protected landscape
