'New chapter': First Philippine eagle chick hatches at new Davao sanctuary

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine eagle chick broke through its shell Monday, November 11 at the newly opened National Bird Breeding Sanctuary in Davao City, offering fresh hope to Philippine conservationists in their fight to save one of the world's most endangered raptors.

The chick, designated as No. 30, marks the first successful hatching at the sanctuary in Eden, Toril since it opened in February.

The eagle was born through artificial insemination following a 56-day incubation period, establishing the new facility as a viable breeding center for the critically endangered species. Only 392 to 400 pairs of Philippine eagles remain in the wild.

The mother, Pinpin, provided natural incubation at the new sanctuary, while the father, Sinag, resides at the Philippine Eagle Center. 

Domingo Tadena, the sanctuary's facility manager and the Philippine Eagle Foundation's conservation breeding expert, described No. 30's entry into the world as a "historic first" for the sanctuary just months after it opened.

“It proves that with cutting-edge technology, cross-cultural collaboration, and unwavering dedication, we can create new hope for the Philippine Eagle and ensure that future generations,” he said in a statement on Tuesday, November 12.

Philippine eagles are notoriously difficult to pair and take years to mature and become productive, explained Dennis Salvador, the Philippine Eagle Foundation's executive director. 

"One necessarily needs to invest time and resources to make it work. But more importantly, besides skill, knowledge and experience, it is the dedication and passion of our team that made this possible," Salvador added.

The breeding cycle began in July with vocal displays, leading to the laying of the egg on September 16, according to the foundation.

"The decision to use the 'help out' method was not made lightly," said Tadena.

Tadena added that No. 30 was hatched through a "calculated measure based on years of experience and the chick's status during the later stages of incubation." 

"Without our intervention, the risk of losing this hatching to suffocation was high," Tadena added.

The hatching of the new chick "represents a new chapter in the fight to conserve the Philippine Eagle," the foundation said.  

There are currently 10 adult Philippine Eagles at the National Bird Breeding Sanctuary.

The Philippine eagle can only be found on four islands in the Philippines: Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.

It faces severe threats from habitat loss and hunting. It also has one of the longest breeding cycles of any bird of prey, which has required conservationists to double their efforts to increase their population.

The Philippine eagle was designated the country's national bird by then-President Fidel Ramos in 1995.