DAVAO CITY – Nestled within a natural Philippine eagle habitat, the new sanctuary of the national bird in a hinterland barangay here is a perfect environment for natural breeding.
As the new home of the Philippine eagle also sits between the boundary of two nesting territories of the national bird, Philippine Eagle Foundation Director for Research and Conservation Dr. Jayson Ibañez believes that the Philippine Eagle could be more productive in their new home. “The temperature, altitude, and vegetation are perfect for natural breeding,” Ibañez added.
Unlike its current home at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Barangay Malagos here, the Philippine Eagle Conservation Breeding Sanctuary (PECBS) in Barangay Eden is far from human noise and disturbances.
“In Malagos, the breeding facility is very near the tour place and the isolation area surrounded by farms and roads,” Ibañez explained.
Three breeding pairs of Philippine eagle are set to be moved to their new sanctuary next month as a measure to protect the national bird against the threat of avian flu as well as the changing landscapes around the PEC.
The 13-hectare PECBS is within the 105-hectare Eden Tourism Reservation Area of the city government.
In a briefer, the PEF said that a single case of avian flu in the current facility could wipe out the only captive breeding stock of the species in the world.
It added that the outbreak of avian flu in March 2022 in Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur province 90 kilometers southwest of the PEC posed a threat right at the doorstep of the national bird in this city.
PEF added that the outbreak put at risk 32 Philippine eagles being exterminated.
There are around 400 pairs of Philippine eagles left in the wild and had been placed under the category of critically endangered species.
The PEF noted that the changing landscape around the PEC, such as the mushrooming of game and poultry farms, increases the risk of exposure to highly pathogenic diseases such as avian flu.
Once the breeding pair of eagles will be moved to the new facility, Ibañez disclosed that for the first time, they will attempt natural incubation and natural chick-rearing techniques.
“Eagles mismo ang mag-incubate at magpakain and magpalaki ng chicks (The eagles themselves will incubate and feed their chicks). At the PEC, artificially incubated and puppet reared ang birds (the birds). By doing this, the chicks will grow knowing their kind and behaving like a proper eagle, and not become human malimprinted birds,” he said.
Apart from the imprinted birds, Ibañez added that they will use natural eagle pairs for breeding. “Actual male and female eagles together and jointly incubating, and taking care of their young enhances their success at reproduction.”
The hatched chicks, the PEF official added, will be naturally reared by its parents until they become independent. These independent birds will then be released back to the wild.
In the new facility, Ibañez said they will minimize human interaction and presence especially in the rearing of captive-bred chicks. “Dapat minimal to zero ang human exposure (Human exposure should be minimal to zero), and that's what we want to attempt at the new facility.”
Ibañez said the facility will also be equipped with a hospital for the raptors. However, the hospital will be exclusive for the eagles of the foundation only, he added.
Aside from breeding pairs, the hospital will also be for rescued eagles, hospital for treatment of injured and rescued birds, and quarantine and rehabilitation facility for rescued eagles, Ibañez said.
Construction of three duplex cages is ongoing and set to be completed by last week of March.
Ibañez said three breeding pairs of Philippine eagles are set to be moved in the PECBS on April 22, in time for Earth Day.
However, unlike the PEC, the new facility in Barangay Eden will be off limits to tourists, said Ibañez. The site will exclusively operate as a breeding facility for the Philippine eagles as it will be implementing strict biosecurity measures.
The PEC, he added, will be maximized for educational purposes and will remain a home to other injured, rescued, and endemic animals.