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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Benefits of Tamaraw

Ecosystem Roles
Given their current small population size, tamaraws are not likely to play a dominant role in the ecosystem processes of present-day Mindoro. The historical importance of tamaraws in the Mindoro ecosystem is unclear, although they may have influenced vegetation succession through their grazing and wallowing.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Tamaraws have been hunted for food and sport in the past, but these activities have been outlawed since 1936. (Custodio, et al., 1996; Kuehn, 1986)

Positive Impacts food body parts are source of valuable material
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse affects of tamaraws on humans.

Environmental Factors
Formerly, B. mindorensis were diurnal, meaning they lived, moved and fed during the day. Today however, the Tamaraw have become nocturnal; they live and move during the night to avoid humans. They live in dense forests with open glades for grazing, such as are created by fires or landslides. They were also found from sea level to 2000m.They also prefer to be close to water for wallowing (To roll the body in water, snow, or mud). The temperature they live in is hot and humid. One environmental factor is the deadly rinderpest disease amongst the cattle herds in Mindoro. The Tamaraw can also get it.

Importance to People
If Tamaraws become extinct then the Mindoro people will lose some of their identity. This animal is recognized through Mindoro and the Philippines. The Tamaraw also eats the brush and if they become extinct then there would be an overgrowth of brush and it could increase the chance of wild fires.
There are several ideas on how to save the endangered Mindorensis. The best strategy for ensuring the survival of the Tamaraw  to provide them with a place to live that doesn’t keep changing. This means saving the Mindoro forest. If the forest dies then the Tamaraws would not be able to adapt quickly enough and they would die also. Another way is to farm the Tamaraws. If people raised them, then the hunters (people killing them for food, their skins, and so they don’t damage their crops) wouldn’t be able to kill them and they would be able to increase.