Do you know our national bird?

I have always heard about the Philippine Eagle but have never really visited the Philippine Eagle Center despite my numerous trips to Davao. The Philippine Eagle is the largest forest raptor in the Philippines with a 7-ft wingspan and is 3 ft in height. Being with a teen and his parents this time, we tailor-fit our Davao tour to include the Philippine Eagle Center in Calinan, about 90 minutes by car from Davao City proper.

The one-hectare rainforest houses the Philippine Eagle named Viggo and his mother, LDI. Besides this famous eagle who was the inspiration for the bird on our P1,000 polymer legal tender, there are other birds like owls who are also available for adoption by kind-hearted bird lovers. A minimal amount of P25,000 can get an owl sponsored for a year. That includes a healthy diet of rabbits and other food to keep these birds happy. The eagles, on the other hand, could cost a benefactor P500,000 a year. Any amount of donation to keep these birds, reptiles and mammals happy and alive are welcome. So if you are looking for a cause close to your heart, contact the Philippine Eagle Foundation.

You will also get to see some monitor lizards, salt water crocodiles and macaques (monkeys whose tails are sometimes even longer than their body span). We were guided around the forest park by James, one of the many volunteer guides who frequent the park to help tourists navigate the one-hectare property. You can tour in 30 minutes or longer should you want to linger and enjoy the forest bathing.

There are plans to move the center to a much quieter area as Calinan has become very busy (and noisy) for these birds in captivity. Over the years, many establishments have been set up around what used to be a forest within a forest. Many vehicles passing the national highway also contribute to air pollution, which is not as healthy for the birds unlike when the center was first opened.

Even as adults, many of us enjoyed the visit because you get to understand how biodiversity affects how our bird population thrives. You also get to appreciate the efforts of a non-government organization in advocating for the survival and preservation of species. A little help from the private sector goes a long way in helping keep our diverse bird species alive, as most are already endangered. They are hunted, shot as game and also consumed.

We now have less than 400 pairs of the Philippine Eagle left in the wild and every effort to preserve this species is admirable. They are also listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Further, once captured these animals can no longer be allowed to go back to the wild as they may no longer survive or adapt. So once they are caught, the center helps them reproduce in captivity, using science and modern methods. It is important to make sure we have all the endemic birds as they form part of our biodiversity and allows all other forms of life to thrive.

The Philippine Eagle is one of the rarest in the world and is a giant bird of prey found only in four islands in the Philippines – Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (according to the PEF website).

The most interesting part of the collection is the python – it likes to eat its prey alive. It does not enjoy chopped meat (as eagles do) but it prefers a live bird or animal which it chokes until it expires. I did not see it eat in action but just the thought gives me goosebumps.

If you have not been to a local zoo for a long time, do drop by the Philippine Eagle Center when in Davao. The entrance fee is not expensive (P150 per person with discounts for seniors) and the tour is enlightening and educational. You may also donate to plant a native tree, seedlings of which are found all over the park.

After this field trip you can visit other destinations like Verdeli farm for good meals and coffee (plus a farm to table tour) or Malagos Garden Resort for more bird shows and chocolate making. (See my past column for the details of the chocolate tour.)

It is sometimes also good to be a tourist in your own native land. And not just appreciate other countries but our very own destinations. Many of our children are gifted with trips to snow-laden mountains and ski resorts, without even seeing our local flora and fauna. Many do not even know our local fruits, maybe except for bananas and mangoes. In Davao, you will see a diverse selection of local fruits at the markets. It does not mean you will not find oranges and apples, but definitely you will see local fruits in season. The prices for fruits are also outrageously lower than Manila prices. That alone is enough reason to fly to this southern city. Have a fruit festival, a fruit buffet right at the local market. Since we were hosted by locals, they bought an assortment of fruits which we managed to enjoy at the Verdeli farm after a sumptuous lunch.

Our teenager got his fill of “firsts” during this trip – his first taste of durian, rambutan, marang, mangosteen and other exotic fruits native to Davao. This was also his first encounter with animals you just see in photographs – an eagle and an owl up close. His first time to see a macaque and a crocodile – in his native country.

There is a lot to see in our domestic destinations. We’re not only helping the local economy, we also instill national pride in our youth who will then be protectors of biodiversity in the future. Further, you can choose to donate to the Philippine Eagle Center so they can continue their important work in contributing to biodiversity.

This “big boy” surely opened his eyes to a more beautiful and diverse Philippines with a short visit to a land as far as Hong Kong is from Manila but a bit closer to his heart.

To find out more about the Philippine Eagle Center, log on to www.philippineeaglefoundation.org