Gov't welcomes birth of critically endangered eagle in wild

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government hailed today the birth of a new Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), the fourth eaglet hatched in the forest of southern province of Zamboanga del Norte.

Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje, citing a report by the Regional Eagle Watch Team (REWT) of DENR-Region 9, said the young eagle was hatched on its parents' nest atop a tree in Linay village last December.

"We are very happy on hearing the news that a new Philippine eagle was hatched in the wild. This only shows that the province still has a very good forest cover, and I thank the people of Zamboanga del Norte for having taken good care of their natural resources," he said.

The eaglet was named as "Atbalin," acronym for attraction for Linay village and was coined by Linay officials.

Paje said that Atbalin's arrival was a welcome addition to the dwindling Philippine eagle population in the country.

Described by American aviator Charles Lindbergh as "the world's noblest flier," the Philippine eagle replaced the "maya" as the country's national bird in 1995. It is categorized as a critically endangered species or at high risk of extinction under the National List of Threatened Species and by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for its diminishing numbers in the wild due to habitat destruction and poaching.

Through the Philippine Raptors Conservation Program of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (formerly Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau), the DENR has partnered with organizations such as Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), University of the Philippines (UP) and Haribon Foundation in undertaking research, habitat conservation and in educating the public about the important role of the Philippine eagle in maintaining the ecological balance and as a national symbol.

The first sighting of the world's largest eagle was documented in 1896 in Paranas Island off central Philippine province of Samar. Its natural habitats such as Northern Sierra Madre, Mt. Kitanglad, Samar Island Natural Park and Mt. Apo have been declared as protected areas.