Lake Mainit

Lake Mainit is the fourth largest lake in the Philippines, having a surface area of . The lake is also the deepest lake in the country with maximum depth reaching . It is located in the northeastern section of Mindanao and shared between the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte.

Etymology

The name of the lake is a Visayan word mainit, which means "hot".

Flora and fauna

Plants

• Fire orchid (Vanda hookeriana)
• Narra tree (Pterocarpus indicus)
• Molave tree (Vitex parviflora)
• Philippine rosewood or "toog"
• Kamagong
• Mancono
• Malabayabas (Eucalyptus spp.)
• Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Animals

• Animals

1. Mindanao scops owl
2. Mindanao savanna nightjar
3. Mindanao Himalayan swiftlet
4. Mindanao forest kingfisher
5. White-breasted sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
6. Monkeys
7. Wild pigs

• Fish

1. "Casili" (Anguilla spp.)
2. Mudfish, "hayuan" or "halwan" (Channa striata)
3. Gurami (Gourami belontiidae)
4. "Bolinao" (Neostethus thessa)
5. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
6. "Tilapia" (Oreochromis niloticus)

Geography

Municipalities bordering the lake

• Mainit, Surigao del Norte
• Alegria, Surigao del Norte
• Jabonga, Agusan del Norte
• Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte

Municipalities within Lake Mainit's watershed

• Alegria, Surigao del Norte,
• Sison, Surigao del Norte
• Tubod, Surigao del Norte
• Mainit, Surigao del Norte
• Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte
• Jabonga, Agusan del Norte
• Santiago, Agusan del Norte
• Tubay, Agusan del Norte

References

Further reading

• A Directory of Philippine Wetlands. Vol I, compiled by Davies, J. et al. (Asian Wetland Bureau Philippines Foundation, Inc, 1991)
• Webpage on Lake Minit (cited part available online)

External links

• Lake Mainit Updates
• Lake Mainit Development Alliance
• LMDA Updates