Farmer turns over baby eagles

A  Philippine Eagle soars high above the Mt. Apo Natural Park. ALAIN PASCUA/Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines. 

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines—Fear of being imprisoned and fined up to a million pesos convinced a farmer here to turn over to the authorities  two eaglets he found in a forest some five months ago.

Amad Sumalinog said had he known what he had found were baby eagles, he would have turned them over a lot sooner.

Sumalinog said it took five months before he realized that the small birds in his possession, which he had found in a nest in a forest in Barangay Nunungan, were more than ordinary.

“When they were growing up, I started suspecting these were eaglets because they also started showing features similar to photos of eagles I had seen,” the farmer said.

Sumalinog said he immediately decided to take the eaglets to village officials who then turned the birds over to the city government.

Mayor Joseph Evangeslita, who received the eaglets, said however he could not tell if the chicks were those of the endanged Philippine eagle, previously known as monkey-eating eagle.

“For now we cannot determine whether the birds are monkey-eating eagles that are considered endangered. Only the Philippine Eagle Foundation  can determine its kind,” Evangelista said.

But whatever kind of eagle the birds were, Evangelista said, he was thankful to the farmer for taking good care of them. He noted that both birds looked healthy.

“They were (well) taken care of,” Evangelista said.

He said the eaglets would be turned over to the PEF in Davao City.

Eagles of various kinds abound in the forests of Mindanao.

On May 4, a Philippine eagle hatchling was also captured by farmers in Magpet, North Cotabato.

Late last year, a wounded Philippine eagle was captured in the same town, which is located at the foot of Mt. Apo.

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is among the rarest and most powerful birds in the world.

According to PEF, it is a critically endangered species mainly due to hunting and massive loss of habitat from deforestation.

Hunting and killing Philippine eagles is punishable under Philippine law with up to 12 years in jail and heavy fines.

In May 2012, a court in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, handed down a prison sentence and fined farmer Bryan Balaon P100,000 for butchering a Philippine eagle.

It was the first known criminal case filed against anybody for harming the national bird.

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