RP eagle to be freed in Sumilao
The eagle flies high again.
After almost two years in captivity, Philippine Eagle Kagsabua or Unity will be set free in the wilds of Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP) in Barangay Lupiagan, Sumilao in Bukidnon province.
Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) showed that the two-year-old Kagsabua was seized by park guards from a resident of Barangay Kaantuan in Lantapan town on
Less than a year old at the time, Kagsabua, which then weighed 3.5 kilograms, had a gunshot wound in the back of the head.
Kagsabua received first aid at the Bukidnon Provincial Veterinary Office before a team led by Mt. Kitanglad Park Superintendent Felix S. Mirasol brought the male bird to the Philippine Eagle Center in
Now widely known as “Haring Ibon” (formerly known as the monkey-eating eagle), the Philippine Eagle is the largest eagle in the world.
It measures up to about one meter tall, with a wing span of about two meters.
It is characterized by its massive arched beak and narrow and pointed crown feathers, which form a crest, according to the DENR’s Public Affairs Office (PAO).
The Philippine Eagle is found in
The bird builds its nest on top of tall trees, nests once every two years and lays only one egg which is incubated alternately by both parents for about 60 days.
The eaglet remains in the nest up to almost six months. Once the young fledges, the parents look after it for about 17 months, according to the DENR-PAO.
The Philippine Eagle is listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red Data Book.
Its present status is due to destruction of dipterocarp forests brought about by logging and agricultural practices and collection for illegal trade and trophy.
Trade in the Philippine eagle is strictly prohibited and collection may only be allowed for conservation-related research purposes, with a permit granted by the DENR.
Field research is being carried out to determine its actual population in the wild.
The hunting and killing of a Philippine Eagle is punishable under Republic Act 9147, the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Violators will be fined a minimum of P100,000 to P1,000,000 maximum; and imprisonment of a minimum of six years and one day to 12 years.
The freeing of Kagsabua is a project of the DENR in coordination with the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the provincial government of Bukidnon.
The MKRNP had previously set free six Philippine eagles.
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