Gems hanging by a thread While researching birding destinations in Southeast Asia, I came across one country that stood out with an exceptional number of endemic species: the Philippines. With over 200 endemic bird species, the archipelago’s north-south expanse and island-by-island diversity provide a wide range of habitats, each home to its own unique birds. Among all the birding spots in the Philippines, the area with the most impressive diversity is the forest region of PICOP in the southernmost island of Mindanao. PICOP stands for Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines—it was once a company-owned forest used for industrial purposes. The company has since gone bankrupt, and the area is…