Photo: Philippine Eagle Foundation
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced on Saturday that it has transferred three eagles from its center in Davao to Mahagnao in Leyte.
According to PEF, the eagles that were moved were Lakpue, Lyra Sinabadan and Kalatungan 1.
The birds came from the National Bird Breeding Sanctuary and the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao.
Their transfer is in line with the foundation鈥檚 Philippine Eagle Reintroduction Program鈥檚 second year.
鈥淭hey went through health checks before being placed in their acclimation enclosures in preparation for their eventual release into the wild,鈥� it said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
PEF鈥檚 Philippine Eagle Reintroduction Program was launched last year, along with the release of Philippine eagles Carlito and Uswag.
However, PEF disclosed that only Carlito was able to adapt to the Mahagnao landscape.
Uswag 鈥渨andered too far from the site鈥� and 鈥渄rowned near the coast of Baybay in Leyte.鈥�
鈥淭o prevent another loss, the Philippine Eagle Foundation adopted the Philippine Eagle Bonding Experiment,鈥� the foundation said.
The experiment is 鈥渁 strategy to foster social relationships and increase survival among released eagles by helping them to pair up and hunt together, and stay within their habitat,鈥� it noted.
PEF also revealed that Lakpue 鈥� a male eagle 鈥� will be introduced as a potential mate for Carlito.
Meanwhile, Lyra Sinabadan (female) and Kalatungan 1 (juvenile male) 鈥渨ill form a cohort bond, coexisting harmoniously without mating,鈥� the foundation said.
鈥淏ut as the former matures, their relationship may evolve into a mating partnership,鈥� it added.