ARTICLE • THE ENVIRONMENT
Why are Philippine eagles the face of Philippine conservation?
by John Rolie Consolacion
Almost every Filipino growing up knows about the Philippine Eagle. Its distinguished traits of strength and love for freedom exemplify the Filipino people, giving it the deserving title of the National Bird of the Philippines.
In nature, these eagles are top predators. It is also considered one of the largest of the extant eagles in the world in terms of length and wing surface.
However, their populations are declining.
Eagle populations declining
While it is one of the most powerful birds, the Philippine eagle is also one of the rarest birds in the world with an estimated population of fewer than 500 eagles.
This unfortunately implies that though the Philippine eagle is crowned the national bird of the Philippines, it also holds the title of being one of the most endangered raptors in the world. In other words, eagles are seriously at risk of extinction.
Many factors have contributed to the decline of this extraordinary bird of prey, such as deforestation, hunting, poaching, and other human activities.
Wildlife populations who are unable to travel long distances like the eagles are usually more vulnerable to habitat loss and other detrimental actions, simply because these eagles have nowhere else to go. As more and more of forest trees are cut, eagles are left with fewer and fewer places to go.
Conservation efforts
In response, organizations around the Philippines have established conservation centers for the sole reason of saving endangered species like the Philippine Eagle, to redeem them from their critical situation, and hopefully even allow them to prosper in the wild. Organizations like The Peregrine Fund have been assisting and advising on conservation measures for the Philippine Eagle since the 1970s. This organization has also produced many Philippine Eagles, and has released eagles into more habitable environments. The foundation first released an eagle to the wild in 2004 and has since released several rehabilitated endangered birds.
Conservation of endangered species is not only focused on the animals themselves, but also on the role of the Filipino people. Education allows local communities to understand the critical condition of these animals, with the intention of developing community-based conservation efforts of critical habitats, which are efficient ways in helping to protect these endangered animals.
We are responsible
Ultimately, there is a real and justified concern about the current state of various ecosystems in the Philippines, and Philippine eagles aren’t the only animals who are critically endangered. In the Philippines alone, there are hundreds of species who are on the brink of extinction due to human interventions. And whether we like it or not, humans will always depend on these ecosystems. Endangered species are signs of an unbalanced ecosystem about to fall apart and which, more likely than not, may domino into human endangerment. Through saving critically endangered species like the Philippine Eagle, we are one step closer to prosperity and conservation for all life on Earth.
#ARCHIVES: This article was previously published in Hiraya Zine Volume 1, Issue 3: The Environment last May 2021. Download the zine for free here.
This issue is presented in partnership with The Growth Initiative, Wavefarers, and Youth Strike 4 Climate Philippines.
