Philippine Eagle, other endangered birds confiscated in Camarines Norte bus

Endangered birds were confiscated in a bus en route to Manila from Camarines Norte, including a Philippine Eagle and three nestlings, an Unang Balita report said on Wednesday.

 

 

Wilbert Era, the conductor of the bus, told Unang Balita that he was not aware that transporting birds was illegal. He admitted that they have transported birds in the past.

 

The birds will be turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the report said.

 

Philippine Eagles are considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to their "extremely small population".

Under the law, critically-endangered species such as the Philippine Eagle, are those "facing extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future".

 

The Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act says: "No person or entity shall be allowed possession of wildlife unless such person or entity can prove financial and technical capability and facility to maintain said wildlife."

 

Among the illegal acts listed are trading and transporting of wildlife.

 

The bus conductor is in the custody of the Traffic Management Group of the Philippine National Police, while the bus driver was allowed to bring the passengers to Manila first before being brought in. — Kim Luces/TJD, GMA News