READY TO FLY | The rescued Pinsker’s hawk-eagle, which was weak and unable to fly when it strayed into a farmer’s land in Magpet, Cotabato, on March 14, 2023, is freed on Wednesday after an examination by the municipal veterinarian. (Photo from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources)
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao del Norte, Philippines — A young Pinsker’s hawk-eagle (Nisaetus pinskeri) that strayed in open farmland in Barangay Amabel of Magpet town in Cotabato province on March 14 was rescued by a farmer in the area, an environment official said.
The farmer took care of the bird that was already too weak to fly and fed it before he brought the raptor to the town’s Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, according to Rosie Camiguing, chief of the protected and wildlife unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato Province, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City).
Pinsker’s hawk-eagle, also known as Philippine hawk-eagle or Mindanao hawk-eagle, is a species of bird of prey in the family of Accipitridae. It is considered endangered, with the current population reaching only between 600 to 800 in the wild based on the data of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Camiguing said.
Strength regained
When Mylene Reniedo, Magpet town veterinarian, checked on the juvenile raptor as soon as it reached her office, the bird — which measured 63 centimeters long, had a 125 cm wingspan, and weighed 1.2 kilograms — had already regained its strength.
Reniedo declared the raptor healthy and ready to be sent back to its natural habitat.
It has been the standard procedure in Magpet that whenever a rescued wildlife is found and assessed to be healthy, it should immediately be released back to the wild to avoid further stress to the animal that may cause it more harm, Camiguing said.
Magpet town is at the foot of Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak, where the Philippine eagles thrive.
Camiguing said she and other environment personnel in the town freed the rescued eagle back to the wild on Wednesday.
DENR regional director Felix Alicer said he was delighted that farmers and other residents in the town were already aware that endangered species rescued or captured must be turned over to the DENR.
“Our information drive has paid off,” Alicer said.
In Cotabato province, where some of the endangered wildlife like the Philippine eagle and tarsiers thrive, the provincial environment and natural resources office has organized two groups for simultaneous wildlife lectures on Republic Act No. 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act) in Kidapawan City, Matalam, Arakan and Midsayap this month.