Apo Reef

The Apo Reef is located in the center of the Mindoro Strait, between the Palawan archipelago and the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. It is located about 1 km west of two much larger, triangular coral reefs constructed within the Apo Reef Marine Natural Park.

Geography

Located at the southeastern edge of the South China Sea, it is only 2 ½ hours by boat from the diving island of Pandan Iceland on the west coast of Mindoro (15 nautical miles), 6-8 hours from Puerto Galera on the northeast coast of Mindoro and 4-6 hours from the capital Coron on Busuanga / Palawan (21 nautical miles measured from nordöstlichstem point of the island ) away. The Apo Island should not be confused with Apo island of the same in Negros.

The Mindoro Strait is an important lake road for national and international shipping routes to China, Korea and Japan. In order not to run into the shallows to reason stands on her a great lighthouse (coordinates: 12 ° 40 'N, 120 ° 25' O12.661666666667120.41444444444 ). His beacon is also an important reference point for air traffic.

History

Until well into the 1990s, the reef was plundered with dynamite and cyanide fishing later. Many areas have not yet recovered from it. With the Presidential Decree of 6 September 1996, the Apo Reef was a part of the Apo Reef Marine Natural Park. On the Apo Island Park Ranger 8 are permanently stationed to enforce the total fishing ban.

Nature

Among the 47 types of train and domestic birds there is also the endangered Nicobar Pigeon (also Nikobarentaube, Caloenas nicobarico ). Soups ( Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) use the seclusion for oviposition. In a study of 1981 190 coral species were counted. 78 species of invertebrates like giant clams ( Tridacnidae ), crayfish ( Pasulirus ), conch ( Charonia tritonis ) and the Nautilus, also called Nautilius, are only a part of the underwater world. In addition, dolphins as well as previously observed 385 species of fish, including sharks, rays, manta rays, and whale sharks.

Use

The reef is world famous among divers and snorkelers in the region are the Tubbataha Reef and the reef system to the Cagayan Archipelago, both in the Sulu Sea, thus comparable.

12.7120.48333333333Koordinaten: 12 ° 42 'N, 120 ° 29'

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