Another eagle species bred in captivity

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—After two decades of success in its Philippine eagle captive breeding program, the Philippine Eagle Foundation  announced Saturday it has successfully bred and hatched another threatened species of bird of prey.

Dennis Salvador, PEF director, said that on April 2, the first Pinsker’s hawk eagle (Nisaetus pinskeri) bred in captivity broke its shell at the PEF Center in Malagos village in the Calinan district here.

The Pinsker’s hawk eagle is endemic to the Philippines and known to thrive in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It belongs to the Acciptridae family and is considered threatened because of the loss of its natural habitat, Salvador said.

He said the first Pinsker’s hawk eagle bred in captivity was the product of a natural pair. It weighed a mere 57.2 grams.

“We have to carefully and constantly monitor the chick and make notes on its progress since it is the first Pinsker’s hawk eagle hatched under our breeding program,” Salvador said.

Salvador said ensuring the Pinsker’s Hawk Eagle’s survival in the wild is a real challenge especially with the “fast diminishing forests and destruction of their habitats.”

“We need everyone’s contribution to ensure that the Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle population will increase, especially in the wild,” Salvador added.

The PEF conservation breeding program made a breakthrough in 1992 with the birth of Pag-asa, the first Philippine eagle bred and hatched in captivity. It has successfully bred over 20 eagles since then.

Salvador said they hoped to replicate the success of their Philippine eagle breeding program in the  newly conceived Pinsker’s hawk eagle breeding program.

“Hopefully, it will survive and we will be able to improve our breeding techniques of this species through this experience,” he said, referring to recently hatched chick.

With a report from Roli Pinsoy, Inquirer Mindanao