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. ...

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 House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...

. 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 metropolita ...

of Inayawan in Nunungan, some southwest from the city of

Iligan Iligan, officially the City of Iligan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Iligan; fil, Lungsod ng Iligan; Maranao: ''Inged a Iligan''), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it ha ...

near the border with the province of

Lanao del Sur Lanao del Sur ( tl, Timog Lanao; Maranao language, Maranao and ilp, Pagabagatan Ranao), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Autonomous Re ...

and some north from Magapu Point and Illana Bay. 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 The Philippine eagle (''Pithecophaga jefferyi''), also known as the monkey-eating eagle or great Philippine eagle, is a critically endangered species of eagle of the family Accipitridae which is endemic to forests in the Philippines. It has br ...

, Philippine deer, Mindanao flying squirrel,

Mindanao scops owl The Mindanao scops owl (''Otus mirus'') is an owl endemic to Mindanao island in the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Re ...

, white-collared kingfisher,

Philippine warty pig The Philippine warty pig (''Sus philippensis'') is one of four known species in the pig genus ('' Sus'') endemic to the Philippines. The other three endemic species are the Visayan warty pig (''S. cebifrons''), Mindoro warty pig (''S. oliveri'') ...

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. ...

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