First Philippine eagle born under natural breeding program

Manila: A Philippine eagle measuring 57.2 grams, was born on April 2, conceived through natural means to two eagles held captive by a foundation that has been propagating the endangered species in the southern Philippines for 20 years, local papers reported.

The newborn eagle, hatched after incubation of 48 days, is the first Pinsker's hawk-eagle (Nisaetus pinskeri) born under the breeding program of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) centre in Malagos village, Calinan district, southern Philippines , PEF Director Dennis Salvador told the Star.

"We have to carefully and constantly monitor the chick and make notes on its progress," Salvador also told the Inquirer, adding his foundation is planning to increase the population of the Pinsker's hawk-eagle in the wild.

The Pinsker's hawk-eagle, which belongs to the Acciptide family, is endemic to the Philippines. It is threatened because of the loss of its natural habitat, the subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

There are some 400 pairs of eagles in the islands of Luzon, in northern Philippines; Samar and Leyte in central Philippines, and Mindanao in the south. Thirty-six eagles, 18 of them bred in captivity, are housed at the PEF Center in the south, said Salvador, who citied his foundation's 2011 report.

Kabayan, a Philippine eagle born in 2002, (following conception through artificial insemination) was released to the wild in April 2004, to help increase the population of eagles in the wild, said Salvador.

But Kalayaan was found dead on a high voltage power line in January 2005.

A Philippine eagle, baptized as Pagasa (Hope), was born in 1992 after it was conceived through artificial insemination involving two captive eagles. "It was a breakthrough for PEF," said Salvador.

At the time, only 37 eagles were identified in the Philippines, 24 in the wild, and 13 in captivity. The PEF has successfully bred over 20 eagles since then.

PEF has been undertaking 20 years of research to propagate Philippine eagles.