Prospects good for captive-breeding of RP eagle

DAVAO CITY — Prospects remain good for the captive breeding program of the Philippine eagle, as Pag-asa, the country’s first eagle bred in captivity at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos District here turned 14 last Saturday.

"What is important is that now we know the captive breeding program better and we can now produce eaglets on a regular basis compared to 14 years ago. We have definitely made progress since Pag-asa was hatched in 1992," Philippine Eagle Foundation executive director Dennis Salvador told The STAR.

Several activities marked Pag-asa’s birthday yesterday at the Malagos Center where the giant raptor is still kept inside one of the few dome cages at the eagle facility.

Salvador cited in particular the hatching last week of the 20th captive-bred Philippine eaglet in Malagos.

The latest eaglet, which weighed around 138.2 grams when it hatched last week, 27 hours after it first peeped from its shell, is said to have so far, survived well and is feeding on the food ration appropriate for its weight and age.

Salvador said that even if five other eaglets, out of the 20 that the PEC produced since 1992, did not survive, still the batting average is considered very good given the limitations of the eagle facility.

"We may not have much since the PEF that runs the eagle center depends largely on donations, still, we are able to continue with the captive breeding program and reaching this point," Salvador added.

He said personnel at the Malagos Center are now knowledgeable on the breeding cycles as well as other aspects of rearing of the Philippine Eagle.

The importance of arresting the almost dwindling population of the Philippine Eagle is also considered after the bird was declared in 1995 as the country’s national bird.

The latest eaglet is said to be the fourth produced by the pair of eagles Princess Maasim and Tsai that also laid the other eaglet that was hatched last Nov. 25.

Princess Maasim and Tsai are considered to be one of the most prolific pairs in the gene pool of Philippine eagles at the Malagos Center.

Malagos personnel are closely monitoring the developments of the latest eaglet especially since the first few days after hatching are considered to be the most critical period.

The PEF is now also looking for possible sponsors who could shoulder the expenses for the food and care of the two new eaglets.

At least 17 other RP eagles, out of the 33 kept at the Malagos center, are also up for adoption under the facility’s Adopt-An-Eagle program.

Adopting an eagle reportedly entails at least P100,000 in annual expenses including allocation for food and corresponding care for the bird.

According to PEF executive director Dennis Salvador, the two eaglets were the first ones to be hatched at the center’s new incubation and rearing facility that was inaugurated last July.

Salvador expressed confidence that with the new facility, the center would be able to produce more eagles through its captive breeding program in an effort to arrest the continuing decline of the population of the Philippine eagle.

The new annex is designed to accommodate the expected increase in egg production with the approaching sexual maturity of the first generation of captive-bred eagles the PEF has produced. The rescue of eagles too injured or unfit for life in the wild has also brought additional breeding stock to the Center. 

The Elias Lopez Facility also features an intensive care area for the rearing of young eagles during the crucial first month. Conservation breeding of the extremely rare eagle species began in the 1970s, when indiscriminate logging and rampant hunting rapidly depleted the eagle population.