Pag-asa, first Phl eagle bred in captivity, turns 23

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Pag-asa, the first Philippine Eagle bred and hatched in captivity, is well and in good condition as he turns 23 today.

Pag-asa has been kept captive inside a large dome that has become his habitat at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Calinan district of this city.

Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) executive director Dennis Salvador said the eagle has been in very good condition since he was born in 1992, which marked a historic event in the effort to help arrest the dwindling population of the country’s national bird.

The large dome in the Malagos eagle center allows Pag-asa to fly freely.

Salvador said several educational activities have been slated that will start with a mass to be attended by guests and other visitors at the center.

“Pag-asa remains to be a very important icon for our effort to conserve the Philippine Eagle through a conservation breeding program,” he said.

Salvador said they are hoping Pag-asa would produce another eaglet in the near future.

When Pag-asa turned 21, he sired eagle Mabuhay through artificial insemination with then 29-year-old female eagle Kalinawan.

Kalinawan was rescued in Zamboanga del Sur and in 2009 was turned over to PEF.

Salvador also pointed out the importance of promoting awareness among the people about the importance of conserving the Philippine Eagle and its impact on the environment as a whole.

He said the destruction of the natural habitat of the Philippine Eagle would mean the destruction of the remaining forests in the country.

The population of the Philippine Eagle has been placed at a little over 500 pairs, including those sighted in the wild.

At least 34 Philippine Eagles are kept at the Malagos Center while four others are in other areas where they are also held in captivity.

These Philippine Eagles were reportedly sighted in the forests of Mindanao and Samar.

The Philippine Eagle replaced the maya as national bird in 1995 as declared by former President Fidel Ramos.

Meanwhile, a number of Philippine Eagles kept in captivity at the Malagos Center were put up for adoption to help in their upkeep.

Prospective sponsors could pitch in at least P150,000 for the feeding and other requirements of the raptor.