The still unnamed eaglet was hatched last Thursday at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos District in Davao City. It is the 27th eaglet bred and hatched in captivity. Photo by Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF)
DAVAO CITY 鈥�- The Philippine Eagle Center here has a new eaglet, the 27th聽Pithecopaga jefferyi born in captivity.
Still unnamed, the eaglet broke out of its shell on Thursday (Feb. 4), or after 57聽days of incubation.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation鈥檚 breeding program started in 1987. The聽center is responsible for producing its first eagle, Pag-asa, conceived,聽hatched and bred in captivity on January 15, 1992.
鈥淭he 27th eaglet is the second offspring of natural pair MVP Eagle (Male)聽and Go Phoenix (Female) since they became partners in 2013,鈥� PEF curator聽Anna Mae Sumaya said in a statement.
Sumaya said eagles MVP Eagle and Go Phoenix have been remarkably successful聽in producing two fertile eggs this breeding season.
The new eaglet is the sibling of 鈥淪inag,鈥� which was recently adopted by聽Philippine Airlines.
鈥淭his milestone will hopefully usher in a new generation of eagles that聽will help repopulate our forests and, in turn, serve as ambassadors for聽saving many other lifeforms who share the rainforest with them. We invite聽everyone to get involved to help our country save its national heritage and聽treasures,鈥� said PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador.
Salvador said the center will 鈥渘eed more space to house incoming eagles as聽it is now running at full capacity.鈥�
PEF continues to boost the critically-endangered species鈥� fight against聽extinction, in the hopes of supplementing the Philippine Eagle鈥檚 population聽in the wild.
The Philippine eagle is considered an endangered species because of its聽rapidly declining population.
The PEF is responsible for producing eagle icon Pag-asa in 1992 and 26聽others now at the center.
The PEF鈥檚 breeding program is intended to supplement eagle population in聽the wild by replacing those lost to hunting and by reintroducing聽captive-bred birds to vacant habitats and habitats occupied by unpaired聽wild eagles.
The Philippine eagle is considered an endangered species because of its聽rapidly declining population.
At least 400 pairs remain in the wild according to estimates from both the聽government and private conservation groups.
The foundation depends heavily on donations for its project that includes聽breeding, education and campaign to save the endangered species.
At present, the species is classified 鈥渃ritically endangered鈥� by the聽International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).