Silliman University-Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History

Directions

Silliman University-Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History Home to a beautiful and diverse collection of animals in the Philippines

“I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.”— Everything Everywhere All at OncePower couple yarn?!...
04/09/2026

“I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.”
— Everything Everywhere All at Once

Power couple yarn?! 👀

Well… this one might actually be!

Meet the Visayan Hornbill (Penelopides panini), one of the Philippines’ remarkable endemic birds and a true forest power couple.

Often seen in pairs, these hornbills play an important role in the forest by dispersing seeds as they feed on fruits.

And their teamwork doesn’t stop there! During nesting, the female seals herself inside a tree cavity while the male brings food to her and their chicks. Talk about commitment! (Can’t relate?!😼)

DID YOU KNOW?

The Visayan Hornbill is found only in the Philippines.
It helps regenerate forests through seed dispersal.
Its distinctive bill and casque make it one of the most recognizable Philippine hornbills.

Because maybe the best love stories aren’t just about finding each other, but about making the world better together~

Visit the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History and discover more remarkable species preserved in our collections.

Want to learn more?

Explore the Visayan Hornbill’s species profile and conservation information through BirdLife International’s DataZone:

Pubmat by: Zamantha Samson
Caption: Alyza Arguelles

Reference/s:
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/visayan-hornbill-penelopides-panini

Hey explorers, ready to shell-ebrate and know more about biology?! 🐍The Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History is...
23/08/2026

Hey explorers, ready to shell-ebrate and know more about biology?! 🐍

The Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History is opening its doors for its Open House on August 25, 2026 at the First Floor of James W. Chapman Science Complex — and it’s your chance to hang out with turtles, fossils, and all things wild and wonderful. 🐢✨

Bring your friends, bring your curiosity, and let’s make science the coolest adventure you'll have this Hibalag ✍️🤸

Pubmat: Pauleen Guevarra
Caption: Zamantha Samson

Apat Dapat. Dapat Apat. Ganern!Meet this week's featured specimen, the Nine-banded Armadillo [Dasypus novemcinctus (ital...
14/08/2026

Apat Dapat. Dapat Apat. Ganern!

Meet this week's featured specimen, the Nine-banded Armadillo [Dasypus novemcinctus (italicized)], a remarkable mammal best known for the natural armor covering its body. Composed of bony plates called osteoderms, this protective shell helps shield the armadillo from predators as it digs through soil and leaf litter in search of insects, worms, and other invertebrates.

Native to the Americas, the Nine-banded Armadillo can be found from the southern United States to much of Central and South America. Equipped with powerful claws and an excellent sense of smell, it is a skilled digger that spends much of its time foraging and constructing burrows.

But armadillos do more than just dig holes. As natural pest controllers, they help regulate insect populations, while their burrows provide shelter for a variety of animals, including reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and countless invertebrates. In many ecosystems, they serve as important ecosystem engineers, helping shape the environment around them.

Although it is currently listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, local populations may still face threats from habitat loss, road mortality, and hunting.

Fun Fact: The Nine-banded Armadillo almost always gives birth to four genetically identical offspring from a single fertilized egg—a rare phenomenon known as obligate polyembryony. Imagine having triplets... and then one more!

Curious to learn more about this armored architect and other fascinating specimens? Visit the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History and discover the incredible diversity of life that has shaped our planet.

Note: While the Nine-banded Armadillo may look right at home among our exhibits, it is actually not native to the Philippines. Found naturally in the Americas, this species serves as a reminder that museums are not only repositories of local biodiversity but also windows into the remarkable wildlife found across the world.

Pubmat: Pearl Velasco
Caption: Jovie James Vallecer

References:
Arteaga, M., Abba, A.M., Superina, M., FeijĂł, A., Smith, P. & Aliaga-Rossel, E. 2026. Dasypus novemcinctus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2026: e.T268513068A268516717. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2026-1.RLTS.T268513068A268516717.en.
Barthe, M., Rancilhac, L., Arteaga, M. C., FeijĂł, A., Tilak, M.-K., Justy, F., Loughry, W. J., McDonough, C. M., de Thoisy, B., Catzeflis, F., Billet, G., Hautier, L., Nabholz, B., & Delsuc, F. (2024). Exon capture museomics deciphers the nine-banded armadillo species complex and identifies a new species endemic to the Guiana Shield. Systematic Biology, syae027. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syae02.
Loughry, W. J., Avise, J., McDonough, C., & Prod?hl, P. (1998). Polyembryony in Armadillos. American Scientist, 86(3), 274. https://doi.org/10.1511/1998.3.274
McTigue, L. E., & DeGregorio, B. A. (2024). Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) Occupancy and Density Across an Urban-to-Rural Gradient. Southeastern Naturalist, 23(4). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.023.0413
Schaefer, J. M., & Hostetler, M. E. (1969). The Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). EDIS, 2003(16). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-uw082-2003
DeGregorio, B. A., Veon, J. T., & Massey, A. (2022). Wildlife associates of nine‐banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus ) burrows in Arkansas. Ecology and Evolution, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8858

Something “great” in size?Not quite.Something on the “smaller” side?Still a bit off…So, something in between? Like an IN...
06/08/2026

Something “great” in size?
Not quite.

Something on the “smaller” side?
Still a bit off…

So, something in between? Like an INTERMEDIATE? 👀
Exactly!

In a marsh shared by Great and Little Egrets, there stood one bird that fit perfectly in the middle—the Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)!

For this week’s Specimen of the Week, meet nature’s “in-between” egret! Don’t let its name fool you. While it’s intermediate in size, it’s an exceptional hunter. With remarkable patience, it stands motionless in shallow waters before striking fish, frogs, crustaceans, and aquatic insects with incredible speed and precision.

Found in wetlands across the Philippines and much of Asia, this elegant white bird plays an important role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems by helping regulate populations of small aquatic animals.

🪶DID YOU KNOW?
- The name intermedia comes from Latin, meaning “between” or “intermediate,” referring to its size between the Great and Little Egrets.
- Despite its wingspan reaching over 1 meter, the Intermediate Egret weighs only around 400–700 grams, proving that nature’s flying designs can be both graceful and lightweight.

🌿 Sometimes, being in the middle is exactly where nature intended you to be.

Want to discover more remarkable species like the Intermediate Egret? Visit the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History and uncover the stories preserved in our collections, one specimen at a time!

Pubmat: Zamantha Samson
Caption: Alyza Arguelles

REFERENCES
BirdLife International. (2025). Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) species factsheet. BirdLife Data Zone. https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/intermediate-egret-ardea-intermedia
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Birds of the World: Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia). Cornell University. https://birdsoftheworld.org
International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ardea intermedia. https://www.iucnredlist.org
Walsh, A., & Chafer, C. J. (2022). Taxonomic revision, occurrence, and identification of Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia in North Queensland, Australia. Australian Field Ornithology, 39, 174–194.

Who's the daddy? 🤰🐴Well... he actually is.This week's featured specimen is the seahorse [Hippocampus (italicized) spp.],...
23/07/2026

Who's the daddy? 🤰🐴

Well... he actually is.

This week's featured specimen is the seahorse [Hippocampus (italicized) spp.], one of the ocean's most fascinating fishes. Despite their horse-like heads and armored bodies, seahorses are true bony fishes that swim upright and use their curled, prehensile tails to anchor themselves to seagrasses, mangroves, corals, and seaweeds while waiting for tiny crustaceans to drift by.

Found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate coastal waters around the world, including the Philippines, seahorses are closely associated with seagrass beds, mangrove forests, and coral reefs, making them valuable indicator species of healthy coastal ecosystems. As predators of small crustaceans, they help maintain ecological balance, while their presence reflects the overall condition of these fragile marine habitats.

Unfortunately, many seahorse species are currently listed as Vulnerable (VU) or Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List due to habitat destruction, destructive fishing practices, bycatch, overexploitation for traditional medicine and the aquarium trade, and the growing impacts of climate change.

🐴 Fun Fact: Seahorses are the only animals in which the male becomes pregnant. During reproduction, the female transfers her eggs into the male's specialized brood pouch, where he fertilizes, nourishes, and protects the developing embryos until they are ready to be born. Depending on the species, a single father can give birth to hundreds—or even thousands—of fully formed baby seahorses in one pregnancy!
Though small and often overlooked, seahorses are indispensable to thriving coastal ecosystems. Protecting their habitats means safeguarding the biodiversity and resilience of our oceans for generations to come.

Curious to learn more about these incredible ocean dads and the diverse marine life they represent? Visit the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History and discover the fascinating stories behind our natural heritage—one specimen at a time!

Pubmat: Pauleen Guevarra
Caption: Jovie James Vallecer

References:

Baldassano, P. (2026). Feeding strategy for Hippocampus sp. BrineShrimpDirect. https://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/about-us/articles/feeding-strategy-hippocampus-sp/?srsltid=afmboorsxzlcizyxmujvqsqpu4z5ho-acv7xnsclssoppelubicb26jm
Hashikawa, M. (2019). Hippocampus kuda (common seahorse). In Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Hippocampus_kuda/
Kloc, M. (2023). Seahorse male pregnancy as a model system to study pregnancy, immune adaptations, and environmental effects. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(11), 9712–9712. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119712
Perante, N. C. (2002). Biology of a seahorse species, hippocampus comes in the central Philippines. Journal of Fish Biology, 60(4), 821–837. https://doi.org/10.1006/jfbi.2002.1878
The IUCN red list of Threatened species. (2023). In IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Name. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/pipefish

The Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History congratulates and welcomes the new volunteers for the S. Y. 2026-2027 ...
21/07/2026

The Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History congratulates and welcomes the new volunteers for the S. Y. 2026-2027 🥳

Orientation schedule will be announced through our new gc. Stay tuned! 🤩

It's been a long time... BUT WE'RE HERE NOW!‎‎After months of renovation and preparation, the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum...
15/06/2026

It's been a long time... BUT WE'RE HERE NOW!
‎
‎After months of renovation and preparation, the Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History is finally OPEN TO THE PUBLIC once again!
‎
‎We’re excited to welcome you back to a refreshed museum experience featuring new exhibits and displays, enhanced collections, and a larger, more spacious area for visitors to explore, learn, and appreciate the wonders of natural history.
‎
‎Whether you're a student, researcher, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the world around you, there's something new waiting for you inside.
‎
‎Come visit us at the first floor of the James W. Chapman Science Complex Building, Silliman University, and be among the first to experience the museum's new look and expanded exhibits.
‎
‎We can't wait to share this exciting new chapter with you.
‎
‎See you at the museum!

WOW! AMAZING!Congratulations to our volunteers who have earned academic honors at Silliman University S.Y. 2025-2026!Cla...
27/02/2026

WOW! AMAZING!

Congratulations to our volunteers who have earned academic honors at Silliman University S.Y. 2025-2026!

Class Honors:
Mark Deniel Montemayor

College Honors:
Lory Grace Oracion
Zamantha Juanne Samson
Ana Rina Segismar
Bienne Jasmine Sienes
Arabella Caryl Villareal

University Honors:
Eunice Shaine Abellana
Ederly Leyes
Hannah Livestre
Mary Justine Saquin
Charwina Somoso
Katherine Kate Torrefiel

All those hours spent in the preparation room—studying, resting, and working hard—have truly paid off. We are incredibly proud of you and grateful that you chose to volunteer at the museum. We hope that we played a meaningful role in your journey toward excellence. CONGRATULATIONS!

This sponge crab didn’t wake up like this… it never woke up at all 🦀😴The Sleepy Sponge Crab is the largest species in th...
11/02/2026

This sponge crab didn’t wake up like this… it never woke up at all 🦀😴

The Sleepy Sponge Crab is the largest species in the Dromiidae family, reaching up to 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) in size. It is easily recognized by the moss-like covering on its body and its perpetually “sleepy” appearance. This species thrives in shallow, warm waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

One captivating manner of this crab according to musuem.wa.gov.au (2016) These unique creatures actually carry a well-fitting camouflage cap of living sponge or ascidian (sea sq**rt) over their back which they trim and keep tidy.

Although the Sleepy Sponge Crab has not yet been evaluated on the IUCN Red List, it serves as a reminder of the importance of diverse ecosystems in supporting marine life. Small yet magnificent, this crab is a remarkable and elegant representative of the wild.

PubMat by: YRAH JANNA DOMALAON

Address

James W. Chapman Science Complex, Silliman University
Dumaguete City
6200

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 12pm
2pm - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 12pm
2pm - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 12pm
2pm - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 12pm
2pm - 5pm
Friday 9am - 12pm
2pm - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Silliman University-Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category