Phl has 3 new eagles

MANILA, Philippines - Three new additions to the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) population were recorded last December.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said the DENR’s  Regional Eagle Watch Teams in Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region discovered an eagle at the Mt. Apo Natural Park in Davao Oriental and reported the birth of two in Linay, Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur. 

“In the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling forests, the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist harmoniously with humans,” he said.

Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau lauded government partners for their efforts to help save the Philippine eagle from extinction.

The most welcome surprise was the Haribon Foundation’s recent documentation of a family of three eagles at Mt. Mingan in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija after a sighting of a juvenile was first reported in February, she added. 

The DENR, Haribon and the local government of Gabaldon are hatching a plan to intensify the protection of Mt. Mingan to ensure the perpetuity of the eagles, as well as the mountain’s bountiful streams that water the town’s farmlands, Lim said.

Paje said more efforts to protect the Philippine eagle are needed to conserve its fragile population. He urged the public to take part in the observance of the 16th Philippine Eagle Week on June 4 to 10.

Paje said this year’s celebration calls for greater awareness of the importance of the raptor known as “Haring Ibon” or king of birds.

 â€œNurturing this unique heritage found only in this part of the world is a gift of the Filipino people to the global community,” he said.