View source for Davao Gulf

{{Short description|Gulf in Davao City, Philippines}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Davao Gulf
| etymology          = [[Davao (province)|Davao]]
| location           = [[Mindanao Island]]
| pushpin_map        = Mindanao mainland#Philippines
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the Philippines
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|6.5000|N|125.9763|E|region:PH_type:waterbody|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| image              = BRP Capones and BRP Tubbataha.jpg
| alt                = 
| caption            = BRP Capones and BRP Tubbataha traversing Davao Gulf
| type               = [[bay|Gulf]]
| cities             = {{hlist| [[Banaybanay, Davao Oriental|Banaybanay]] | [[Davao City]] | [[Digos]] | [[Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental|Don Marcelino]] | [[Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental|Governor Generoso]] | [[Hagonoy, Davao del Sur|Hagonoy]] | [[Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental|Jose Abad Santos]] | [[Lupon, Davao Oriental|Lupon]] | [[Mabini, Compostela Valley|Mabini]] | [[Maco, Compostela Valley|Maco]] | [[Malalag, Davao del Sur|Malalag]] | [[Malita, Davao Occidental|Malita]] | [[Padada, Davao del Sur|Padada]] | [[Panabo]] | [[Pantukan, Compostela Valley|Pantukan]] | [[Samal, Davao del Norte|Samal]] | [[San Isidro, Davao Oriental|San Isidro]] | [[Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur|Santa&nbsp;Cruz]] | [[Santa Maria, Davao Occidental|Santa Maria]] | [[Sulop, Davao del Sur|Sulop]] | [[Tagum]]}}
}}

'''Davao Gulf''' is a [[bay|gulf]] situated in the southeastern portion of [[Mindanao]] in the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwf.panda.org/?201278/saving-mermaids-in-the-davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=wwf.panda.org|title=Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf}}</ref> It has an area of {{convert|5,200|km2|abbr=on}} or about 520,000 hectares.<ref name="PDI">{{cite web |last=Lacorte |first=Germelina |title=Davao chamber hosts concert to save sea turtles |url=http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100820-287881/Davao-chamber-hosts-concert-to-save-sea-turtles |publisher=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |access-date=August 20, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822210227/http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20100820-287881/Davao-chamber-hosts-concert-to-save-sea-turtles |archive-date=August 22, 2010 }}</ref> Davao Gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from the [[Philippine Sea]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Protecting the Davao Gulf|url=https://wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/food/davaogulf/|access-date=January 1, 2021}}</ref> It is surrounded by all five [[Provinces of the Philippines|provinces]] in the [[Davao Region]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Protecting the Davao Gulf|url=https://wwf.org.ph/what-we-do/food/davaogulf/|access-date=January 1, 2021}}</ref> The largest island in the gulf is [[Samal Island]]. [[Davao City]], on the Gulf's west coast, is the largest and busiest port on the gulf.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwf.panda.org/?201278/saving-mermaids-in-the-davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=wwf.panda.org|title=Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf}}</ref> The [[Bagobo]] and the [[Kaagan]] / [[Kalagan people|Kalagan]], who are the indigenous [[Lumad]] tribes endemic to Davao, are known inhabitants of the said gulf.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwf.panda.org/?201278/saving-mermaids-in-the-davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=wwf.panda.org|title=Saving Mermaids in the Davao Gulf}}</ref>

==Wildlife==
The gulf water is regarded as one of the most diverse [[cetacean]] habitats in the nation, being home to at least 10 species of [[toothed whale]]s and [[dolphin]]s such as [[sperm whale]]s and [[beaked whale]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Davao Gulf, PH|url=https://www.inaturalist.org/places/davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=iNaturalist|language=en}}</ref> Also, [[whale shark]]s and [[Dugong|sea cows]] are seen frequently.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Davao Gulf, PH|url=https://www.inaturalist.org/places/davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=iNaturalist|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwf.panda.org/?201278/saving-mermaids-in-the-davao-gulf|access-date=January 1, 2021|website=wwf.panda.org|title=eyot in the Davao Gulf}}</ref> Furthermore, several ecological phenomena have been observed in Davao Gulf such as a previously unknown predator of the [[crown-of-thorns starfish]], new species records, and new species discoveries underlining the uniqueness of the marine resources in Davao Gulf.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Bos A.R.|author2=G.S. Gumanao|author3=F.N. Salac|year=2008|title=A newly discovered predator of the crown-of-thorns starfish|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225650880|journal=Coral Reefs|volume=27|issue=3|page=581|doi=10.1007/s00338-008-0364-9|bibcode=2008CorRe..27..581B|s2cid=34920961}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Ocaña O.|author2=J.C. den Hartog|author3=A. Brito|author4=A.R. Bos|year=2010|title=On Pseudocorynactis species and another related genus from the Indo-Pacific (Anthozoa: Corallimorphidae)|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230851883|journal=Revista de la Academia Canaria de Ciencias|volume=XXI|issue=3–4|pages=9–34}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal|author1=Bos A.R.|author2=H.M. Smits|year=2013|title=First Record of the dottyback Manonichthys alleni (Teleostei: Perciformes: Pseudochromidae) from the Philippines|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236001316|journal=Marine Biodiversity Records|volume=6|article-number=e61|doi=10.1017/s1755267213000365|bibcode=2013MBdR....6E..61B }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Bos A.R.|year=2014|title=Upeneus nigromarginatus, a new species of goatfish (Perciformes: Mullidae) from the Philippines|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266563180|journal=Raffles Bulletin of Zoology|volume=62|pages=745–753}}</ref>

[[File:Map davao gulf.jpg|thumb|none|Map of Davao Gulf]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |url=https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PBAAB124.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429082453/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pbaab124.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 29, 2017 |title=In Turbulent Seas: The Status of Philippine Marine Fisheries |publisher=Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources |isbn=971-92753-4-0 |date=2004 |chapter=Fish Resource Assessment and Management Recommendations for Davao Gulf |author=Nygiel B. Armada |pages=332–335}}
* {{cite journal |author1=Edison D. Macusi |author2=Andre Chagas da Costa-Neves |author3=Christian Dave Tipudan |author4=Ricardo P. Babaran |title=Closed Season and the Distribution of Small-Scale Fisheries Fishing Effort in Davao Gulf, Philippines |journal=World |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=40–55 |date=16 January 2023 |doi=10.3390/world4010004|doi-access=free|hdl=1854/LU-01HPKPR0V2WRPPSD7EY9DXEM5W |hdl-access=free }}
* {{cite web |url=https://oneocean.org/download/db_files/impacts_of_fishpens_malalag_bay.pdf |title=Analysis, Simulation, and Prediction of Impacts of Fish Pens and Cages in Malalag Bay, Davao del Sur |author=Rex Balena |publisher=Coastal Resource Management Project |date=May 1999}}
* {{cite book |title=Coastal Environmental Profile of the Malalag Bay Area, Davao del Sur, Philippines |author1=Imelda S. Valle |author2=Ma. Chona B. Cristobal |author3=Alan T. White |author4=Evelyn T. Deguit |year=2000 |publisher=The Coastal Resource Management Project |isbn=971-92289-9-7 |url=https://oneocean.org/download/db_files/profile_malalag.pdf}}<!--Chapter urls available at https://oneocean.org/download/index.html-->

{{List of Philippine seas}}
{{Davao City}}

[[Category:Gulfs of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Gulfs of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[Category:Philippine Sea]]
[[Category:Landforms of Davao Oriental]]
[[Category:Landforms of Davao de Oro]]
[[Category:Landforms of Davao del Norte]]
[[Category:Landforms of Davao del Sur]]
[[Category:Landforms of Davao Occidental]]