My, how he’s grown!

We last saw him when he was just a couple months old, and although he was still a baby with moulting feathers, Pag-asa was a handsome bird, and there was no doubt that he would grow up to be a fine, magnificent eagle. Back in 1992, the birth of Pag-asa—the first Philippine eagle born in captivity—was occasion for celebration, a significant milestone in the valiant effort to save the endangered Philippine eagle. With lots of respect and a little fear we were led in to meet Diola, Pag-asa’s mother, and marveled at how she so quickly turned calm and affectionate when Mang Domeng Tadena, with whom she had "imprinted," entered her cage, even giving him a tender kiss on the cheek. We also met Junior, Pag-asa’s father, and several other eagles in residence at the center.

On a recent visit to Davao, we were privileged to re-visit the center, eager to see Pag-asa again after all these years. There he was—perched on a branch high up in his cage, proud, dignified, as magnificent as we imagined him to be. Pag-asa is the first of over 20 eagles bred at the center, and it is one of the most successful captive breeding programs around. There are at present 35 Philippine eagles in the center, which now has better and more suitable facilities for the wonderful work that they’re doing. Aside from eagles the center nurtures many other birds, and some animals and mammals too.

Diola died some years ago, but Junior is still there, sire to several other offspring. We were allowed to get up close but not too personal with Sir Arnie, the only blue-eyed eagle (their sight is eight times more powerful than man’s), five-year-old half brother of Pag-asa (his mother is Pitha, artificially inseminated by Junior). Unfortunately, Pag-asa does not have a natural mate, and since eagles are solitary and monogamous, Pag-asa will remain a bachelor. But hopefully he will, with the help of science, sire many eagles who will claim the vast expanse of the skies as their home, flying proud and free.