12/07/2026
"More evidence was later uncovered at Pilanduk Cave in Quezon, Palawan, where archaeologists recovered a tiger foot bone. The cave’s Ice Age archaeological deposits were securely dated to around 20,000 to 25,000 years ago, showing that tigers were part of Palawan’s ancient wildlife during a period when the island looked very different from today."
PALAWAN TIGERS🐅
Palawan is now known for its beaches, limestone cliffs, and tropical forests, but its prehistoric landscape was once home to an animal few would associate with the Philippines.
Archaeological evidence reveals that wild tigers once lived on the island.
The first scientific evidence came from tiger bones recovered during excavations at Ille Cave near El Nido. In 2008, researchers identified the remains as belonging to Panthera tigris, providing the first confirmed evidence that tigers had once inhabited Palawan.
More evidence was later uncovered at Pilanduk Cave in Quezon, Palawan, where archaeologists recovered a tiger foot bone. The cave’s Ice Age archaeological deposits were securely dated to around 20,000 to 25,000 years ago, showing that tigers were part of Palawan’s ancient wildlife during a period when the island looked very different from today.
At the height of the last Ice Age, sea levels were much lower and Palawan had a considerably larger land area. Its environment included more open woodland, which could support deer and other animals that served as prey for large predators.
Researchers suggest that Palawan’s tiger population disappeared as the last Ice Age ended. Rising seas reduced the island’s land area, open woodland was gradually replaced by denser tropical rainforest, and populations of deer declined. These environmental changes may have left the tigers with less territory and fewer animals to hunt.
Long before people knew Palawan for its extraordinary seascapes, one of Asia’s most powerful predators roamed its ancient landscape.
