DAVAO CITY – The Philippine Eagle Foundation said Monday that 24 critically-endangered Philippine Eagles were rescued from the wild since 2019 and majority of them, eight and nine, were trapped and sustained bullet wounds.

Five were from Bukidnon and the remaining were from Davao Oriental, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Sarangani, and Samar.

PEF Director of Operations Dr. Jayson Ibañez said most of them were shot and trapped in Bukidnon, home to the largest population of the national bird with at 23 pairs.

The PEF urged a deeper probe on the rescue of eagle Sawaga-Dalwangan which died on July 18 while undergoing rehabilitation at the Philippine Eagle Center in Barangay Malagos here.

Sawaga-Dalwangan was reportedly rescued by an indigenous farmer in the forests of Barangay Dalwangan in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on July 3. Initial checkup showed the eagle’s wing was heavily soiled and severely infested with maggots, necessitating urgent need for rescue and veterinary treatment. Veterinarians discovered two airgun pellets lodged in its right wing and left thigh after X-ray scans.

Two eagles were recovered from the wild after they were found weak by villagers. Two Philippine Eagles crashed into the sea one of which was found dead on the shore.

A chick was rescued after an indigenous farmer removed it from its nest in 2022. PEF senior biologist Ron Taraya said that the eagle was about three- to four-months-old when they recovered it from the farmer. Taraya said the eagle was named Agsamon and now part of the foundation’s breeding stock.

A juvenile eagle was attacked by crows. “Since the eagle was juvenile, crows can really bully young eagles,” explained Ibañez.

Among the worst incidents was the shooting of a juvenile Philippine Eagle in Mount Kalatungan Range Natural Park in Valencia City, Bukidnon on Aug. 31, 2024. The eagle named Kalatungan 2 sustained severe damage on its wing that left veterinarians with no choice but to amputate it.

Earlier the same year, PEF rescued a partially-blind Philippine Eagle in the forest of Lipadas in the hinterlands of this city. The PEF believes that the eagle was shot and injured in the eye by a jolen gun.

Ibañez.said in every 10 bird rescued, five were released back to the wild.

“Three out of 10 rescues were kept in captivity because they are already unfit to survive in the wild and 20 percent or two out of 10 died within one month after rescue. This also means a total of 80 percent survival or eight out of 10 rescues survived,” he said. “This strongly dispels the claim that we are not successful with our rescues.”

Ibañez admitted that the proliferation of airguns in hinterland areas is among the challenges they are facing in their conservation work. Since airguns are not regulated in the same way as firearms under Philippine law, he lamented that its sale and possession generally do not require

licensing and registration as firearms.

“This has made airguns widely accessible to hunters and hobbyists. Unfortunately, we continue to see evidence that they are also being used against wildlife,” the seasoned conservationist added.

Ibañez acknowledged that while many enthusiasts and owners use airguns responsibly, their widespread availability and relatively light regulation have made them one of the most common weapons encountered in wildlife crime, including cases involving the Philippine Eagle.

“What concerns us is that every rescued eagle with gunshot injuries likely represents many others that were never found. By the time an eagle reaches us alive, it has already overcome extraordinary odds. “

The PEF urged government to strongly regulate airguns, strictly enforce wildlife laws, and implement greater public awareness to prevent more Philippine Eagles from becoming victims in the future.