THE Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced the passing of Chick No. 30, a 17-day-old male Philippine eagle, on Friday, November 29, 2024, at the National Bird Breeding Sanctuary (NBBS).
The PEF, in a press release Saturday, said the chick, which was the offspring of Sinag and Pin-pin, initially showed normal behavior but developed respiratory issues on November 26, including labored breathing and sneezing.
Chick No. 30 is the first-ever Philippine eagle chick to hatch at the NBBS. It was also produced through cooperative artificial insemination.
Despite receiving immediate treatment, including oxygen therapy and fluid suctioning, his condition deteriorated, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, the PEF added.
A necropsy conducted by Dr. Bayani Vandenbroeck suggested that yolk sac retention (omphalitis) was the likely cause of death, along with a weight below the expected range for his age.
Vandenbroeck noted that this is the first case of yolk sac retention in the PEF’s breeding program, despite following strict management protocols.
“Strict hygiene and management protocols were followed, so we did not expect this at all, but we will probe where else we can improve,” Vandenbroeck said.
NBBS Facility Manager Domingo Tadena said the loss of the chick highlights the challenges of raising endangered species.
“The loss of Chick 30 is a challenging setback for our team, as we faced unexpected complications despite our best efforts. This loss pushes us to learn, adapt, and strengthen our care practices moving forward,” Tadena said.
The PEF assured that it is implementing measures to improve care practices based on the findings from the incident.
The Philippine eagle
According to PEF, the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the largest forest raptor in the Philippines and one of the rarest eagles in the world.
Found only on four islands — Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao — this powerful bird of prey is critically endangered, with only around 400 pairs left in the wild.
The Philippine eagle requires 4,000 to 11,000 hectares of forest to survive, depending on the availability of prey. They take five to seven years to reach sexual maturity and lay only one egg every two years.
These eagles depend on forests for food, reproduction, and survival, but illegal logging and habitat destruction have severely impacted their numbers.
At least one Philippine eagle is killed every year due to hunting, and as their habitat shrinks, they are forced to venture closer to human settlements, leading to conflicts with livestock, PEF said. (JGS/SunStar Philippines)
