Rare Philippine Eagle Shot And Killed Two Months After Being Released Into The Wild

The Philippine eagle is a rare breed of bird, and one was recently shot dead. The Eagle was only out in the wild for about eight weeks before someone shot and killed it. Pamana, the name of the Philippine eagle, was already shot in the past, but she survived the ordeal after receiving treatment.

The eagle was only one of around 400 pairs left in the wild before it was discovered dead in a forest near where it was released, according to BBC. Mount Hamiguitan, located in Mindanao, is where the eagle was released. In order to keep tabs on the bird, it was fitted with a radio transmitter, which is what alerted authorities that the eagle was no longer moving.

An organization called the Philippine Eagle Foundation said that the remains of the eagles were found last weekend. The eagle had a gunshot wound on its right breast, according to Business Insider.

Joseph Salvador, the executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation, said that the eagle was the 30th Philippine eagle to be found dead or wounded. He added that as of now, there have been no arrests made in the killing of the rare eagle.

Salvador said that when it comes to the potential to teach people how important eagles are to wild life, as well as biodiversity, it has now become compromised.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, based in Switzerland, has deemed the Philippine eagle as being critically endangered. This is because of the depletion of the eagle’s habitat, as well as because of hunting.

Vast tracts of forests are a must for the Philippine eagle, as they need it for hunting. As for what the eagles hunt, they tend to go for macaques and other small animals. Also, rivals are routinely driven away by the eagles when they enter their territory.

Over the last seven years, the Philippine Eagle Foundation has been recording Philippine eagle casualties. Their records show that gunshots accounted for nine-out-of-10 casualties among Philippine causalities.

The Philippine eagle has unique features, such as its nape feathers, which forms into a shaggy crest. It is also a large bird, as it can grow to be up to 3.3 feet long, with around a 6.5-foot wingspan.

Even though the person/persons responsible for the latest killing of the eagle, Salvador said that once they were found, the foundation would go ahead and press charges. If the person is found and convicted, they could be sentenced to up to 12-years in prison, as well as having to pay a fine of around $20,000.

[Photo by Jim De Francia/Flickr]