MANILA, Philippines – A Philippine eagle caught in a forest in San Luis, Aurora has been turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), authorities said over the weekend.
The eagle was received on Thursday by the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), which assessed the condition of the raptor before it was transferred to the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City.
DENR community officer Jimmy Aberin, who took the eagle to the NAPWC, said the raptor was caught in a trap meant for monkeys.
The farmer who set up the trap rescued the eagle on Wednesday and sought the help of village officials.
BMB director Theresa Mundita Lim said the eagle’s rescue indicated that people are aware of the country’s conservation program.
“The presence of a healthy juvenile eagle in Aurora means that a pair of adult eagles have successfully bred and raised their young as well as our hopes for the species’ continued presence in the Sierra Madre region,” Lim said.