Conservationists to go house-to-house on eagle protection
By Joselle Badilla
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 18:54:00 07/23/2008
Filed Under: Animals, Conservation
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—(UPDATE) The killing of a male juvenile eagle by a tribal farmer in Bukidnon has prompted conservationists to embark on a house-to-house information campaign in indigenous communities about laws and programs that seek to protect endangered species.
Dennis Salvador, executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) based here, said the campaign would make lumad communities aware of the endangered status of the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) and the need to spare it from hunting.
"One of the things we are going to do next month is to intensify the information drive, again to educate people in the area. We will distribute leaflets and do house-to-house campaign," Salvador told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.
Salvador said members of indigenous groups would be informed of penalties for killing endangered species such as the Philippine Eagle, also known as the monkey-eating eagle with the biggest wing span among eagles in the world.
On Tuesday, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) in Bukidnon filed a criminal case against Brian Balaon charging him with violating Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Conservation Act.
Balaon surrendered to a tribal chief Friday and admitted to killing and then eating the eagle nicknamed Kagsabua.
He could face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
Salvador said the filing of the case against Balaon would be cited during the campaign.
"Hopefully it will serve notice to the people that we and the government are serious in enforcing the law. We know, however, that it does not stop there. We will have to see it through to conviction."
"Then everybody would be convinced that the law was successfully implemented," Salvador said.
He said the case filed against Balaon would be a test for the wildlife protection act.
"If it works, then the killing, poaching and trading of wildlife would stop. Then we would have a real chance of conserving the country's natural heritage," he said.
Salvador said education would be the best tool in preventing hunting and slaying of endangered species.
"Educating the people. Walang ibang panglaban. Walang ibang remedy (There’s no other weapon, no other remedy)," Salvador said.
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is considered an endangered species because of its rapidly declining population caused by poaching and deforestation.
At least 400 pairs remain in the wild according to estimates from both the government and private conservation groups.
The PEF is at the center of efforts to protect the endangered bird.
In 1992, the first eagle bred in captivity was hatched at the PEF Center here and was named Pag-asa.
Since 1992, it successfully bred and hatched 22 eaglets but only 18 survived.
Among those that failed to survive was Kabayan, who died after perching on a live wire following his release inside the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) forest reserves in Ilomavis, Kidapawan City on April 22, 2004.
He was the first captive-bred eagle release to the wild.
Since 1986, the foundation has already released back to the wild seven rehabilitated eagles.
These were Copra, 1986; Calinan Diver, 1994; Sinaka, 1999; Esperanza, 2001; Sibagat, 2003; Kagsabua, 2008 and Tinuy-an, 2008.
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