One of the two birds gets a thorugh inspection before being released. —Photo from the Facebook page of the DENR
MANILA, Philippines — Two Philippine eagles were released in Burauen, Leyte on Friday, as part of the Philippine Eagle Reintroduction Program, according to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).
PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador expressed hope that the pair would multiply in numbers so that they could still be seen by the next generations.
“It would require time to have these raptors in numbers but, it is not impossible, considering that this was once their home. I am hopeful that the next generations will witness our national bird, the Philippine eagle, flying and reproducing right here in Burauen,” Salvador said.
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The two birds released were Carlito, a six-year-old female, and Uswag, a three-year-old male.
Carlito was rescued in Agusan del Sur in 2022, and Uswag was treated after an injury in Mount Apo in 2023.
The two were taken care of at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City.
In the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Philippine eagle is listed as critically endangered, indicating that it is “facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.”