Wallow land suitability assessment using GIS-based multicriteria decision-making framework.

Protected areas are the frontlines of biodiversity conservation, featuring critical landscapes and microhabitats that are fitted for the survival of the organisms that have restricted populations. The determination of land suitability and habitat connectivity in these protected areas are important for species with specialized adaptive behavior that requires favorable conditions to survive. The Bubalus mindorensis is a critically endangered bovine of the Philippines which utilizes mud or water puddles to address heat stress through body submersion, known as wallowing. With Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park (MIBNP) harboring the largest remaining subpopulation of the tamaraw, the preservation of its natural landscapes is critical for tamaraw survival. Here, the potential wallows in MIBNP were determined using the weighted overlay analysis (WOA) assisted by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Using environmental variables that were influential to the creation of wallows, an equal-weighed scenario and an AHP-assisted scenario wallow suitability map was generated. Moderate and highly suitable areas were found at the north-central portion of the mountain, coinciding with the current and future conservation zones of the tamaraw, whereas low suitable areas dominate the other half, aggregating at the corners due to build areas and agriculture. The result of the study provides supplementary information in constructing future conservation strategies for an endemic species with global importance, particularly in its possible range expansion within the park. Furthermore, this study provides a framework for future conservation efforts, which helps in the management of critical landscapes for species with specialized adaptive behaviors through GIS-based multicriteria decision-making.