Philippine Eagle could be extinct in 20 years

 

 

The Philippine Eagle could be extinct in the next 20 years if we do nothing to stop the continuous decline of its population, warns Dennis Salvador, Executive Director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) in a News to Go interview.

 

Most birds killed by gunshot

 

The death of the Philippine Eagle named Pamana is, sadly, representative of the current situation of the eagle population. According to PEF’s research, more than 90% of Philippine Eagles die before they reach adulthood and the primary cause is gunshot wounds. And this trend is also applicable to other bird species in the country.

 

“Unfortunately, ang situation ni Pamana is not unique,” Salvador said. “Katulad nitong kasong ito, isang tao lang na may malisyosong intensyon can undo everything.”

 

Pamana was taken in by the PEF in 2012 after she was found suffering from two gunshot wounds. She was able to retain her wild behavior even in captivity, making her a prime candidate for release back into the wild. She was released on Independence Day, June 12, this year, but was found dead barely two months later from yet another gunshot wound. This makes her the 30th Philippine eagle on record to be found dead or wounded.

 

Too few guards, ineffective info campaigns

 

The PEF was confident that Pamana would be safe on Mt. Hamiguitan, a UNESCO-recognized protected area. However, the preserve has proven difficult to police, with with only 6 forest guards for more than 5,000 hectares of forest area. 

 

The killing also happened despite the PEF's best efforts at information campaigns targeting local residents.

 

“Actually yun nga nakakapanghina ng loob dito dahil bago kami nag-release, standard operating procedure namin ay mag-conduct ng education and information campaign throughout the range,” Salvador said. The PEF went door-to-door, talking to residents about the planned release and their conservation efforts. Even after Pamana’s release, the information campaign continued.

 

The motives for shooting Pamana are still unknown. While Philippine Eagle body parts such as talons and beaks are valuable on the black market, none of these valuable parts were taken from Pamana. According to Salvador, Philippine Eagles aren’t considered a food source as well.

 

Weak law enforcement

 

What’s also disheartening is the fact that, even if the criminals are caught, justice isn’t always served. Salvador recalled an instance where the perpetrators escaped, and another where the judge presiding over the case only sentenced the perpetrator to six months in jail. “Actually mas malaki pa ang ginastos namin sa pag-prosecute sa kanya kaysa sa parusa niya,” Salvador said.

 

An estimated 400 mated eagle pairs are distributed across Mindanao, Samar, Leyte, and Luzon. According to Salvador, mated pairs are the most important unit when it comes to managing the Philippine eagle population. Mated pairs are also monogamous for life and only change partners when one of the pair dies. — Bea Montenegro/TJD, GMA News