Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
| Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Location in the Philippines Location in Mindanao | |
| Location | Agusan del Sur, Philippines |
| Nearest city | Bislig |
| Coordinates | 8°19′0″N 125°52′0″E / 8.31667°N 125.86667°E |
| Area | 14,835.99 hectares (36,660.5 acres) |
| Established | October 31, 1996 |
| Governing body | Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
| Designated | November 12, 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1009 |
The Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Agusan del Sur, Philippines declared by President Fidel V. Ramos. The marshland acts like a sponge, as it is nestled in the midwaters of the Agusan River drainage basin. Within its lakes, several floating communities can be found. The sanctuary was home to the 20.24 feet (6.17 m) saltwater crocodile Lolong, the world's largest captive crocodile.
It is located in the municipalities of Bunawan, La Paz, Loreto, Rosario, San Francisco, and Talacogon in the province of Agusan del Sur. The marsh was declared a Ramsar Site No. 1009 on November 12, 1999. It was also recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP) Site No. 42 on November 8, 2018. The site was also included in the tentative list of UNESCO on March 11, 2024, and is currently being evaluated.
Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a national park under Republic Act No. 11038 (Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018) signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in July 2018.