The Mount Inayawan Range Natural Park (also ''Mount Iniaoan Range Natural Park'') is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

of forested mountains in the

Northern Mindanao Northern Mindanao ( tl, Hilagang Mindanao; ceb, Amihanang Mindanao; Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Mindanao'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region X. It comprises five provinces: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, ...

region of the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. The park encompasses the mountain range also known as Mount Iniaoan located in the landlocked municipality of

Nunungan Nunungan, officially the Municipality of Nunungan (Maranao: ''Inged a Nunungan''; ceb, Lungsod sa Nunungan; tl, Bayan ng Nunungan), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has ...

Lanao del Norte Lanao del Norte ( Cebuano: ''Amihanang Lanao''; tl, Hilagang Lanao; Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Ranao''), officially the Province of Lanao del Norte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod. T ...

and covers a total area of with a buffer zone of . The area was officially designated as a natural park on 30 July 2007 through Proclamation No. 1344 signed by President

Gloria Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...

. It is a critical watershed area and the largest remaining rainforest in Lanao del Norte.

Description

The park is situated in the

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...

of Inayawan in Nunungan, some southwest from the city of Iligan near the border with the province of Lanao del Sur and some north from Magapu Point and

Illana Bay Illana Bay, also known as the Iranun Bay, is a large bay of the Moro Gulf, off the southwestern coast of Mindanao island in the Philippines. Illana Bay and Moro Gulf form part of the Celebes Sea. See also *Sibuguey Bay Sibuguey Bay is a larg ...

. It is centered around Mount Iniaoan, a conical mountain which is the highest in the province at an altitude of . Lake Nunungan at is one of the highest lakes in the Philippines and is also found within the park. It consists of three other lakes which supply water for the municipalities in the Kapatagan Valley and holds an abundant supply of fish.

Wildlife

The Mount Inayawan Range Natural Park is home to a diverse fauna. They include endangered and rare species such as the Philippine eagle,

Philippine deer The Philippine deer (''Rusa marianna''), also known as the Philippine sambar or Philippine brown deer, is a vulnerable deer species endemic to the Philippines. It was first described from introduced populations in the Mariana Islands, hence t ...

Mindanao flying squirrel The Mindanao flying squirrel (''Petinomys mindanensis'') is a common species of squirrel that is endemic to the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pil ...

, Mindanao scops owl,

white-collared kingfisher The collared kingfisher (''Todiramphus chloris'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has ...

, Philippine warty pig and

Mindanao hornbill The Mindanao hornbill (''Penelopides affinis''), sometimes called the Mindanao tarictic hornbill, is a medium-small species of hornbill found in the canopy of rainforests on Mindanao, Dinagat, Siargao and Basilan in the southern Philippines. A ...

References

{{Protected areas in Northern Mindanao Natural parks of the Philippines Geography of Lanao del Norte Protected areas established in 2007 2007 establishments in the Philippines