Kids share wildlife lesson through bird find

THE SERPENT eagle found by a group of children in Magpet town WILLIAMOR A.MAGBANUA/INQUIRER MINDANAO

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines—A group of elementary pupils rescued a serpent eagle that it found while the children were on their way home in Magpet town, North Cotabato province, eliciting praises from town officials who said they marveled at how the children cared more for the environment than adults.

Amores Roque, a senior staffer of the Magpet local government, said the children were walking home when they saw the serpent eagle near the Bayuhan River, which is near a forested area.

Roque said that instead of harming the bird or playing with it, the children, whose identities were not made available, turned over the bird to officials of Barangay (village) Sallab.

Village officials turned over the bird to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro).

Roque, quoting witnesses, said it took some time for the children to catch the bird, which is estimated to weigh at least 2.5 kilograms.

“It was not easy for them to catch it,” Roque said of the children’s effort.

Roque said Cenro personnel did not find any wound on the serpent eagle. The bird, however, appeared to be too old to fly.

Magpet Vice Mayor Efren Piñol said by phone on Saturday that the children’s effort was worth emulating and that they should be commended.

“They were children and yet they were more caring,” he said.

Piñol recounted cases of eagles and other birds being harmed by people in his town. He cited last year’s wounding of an eagle by a group of hunters.

He said it was encouraging to learn that children now appear to be more environmentally aware than adults.

Even though serpent eagles are not considered endangered, he said the fact that the children never thought of harming it showed that they cared.

“We do not have to wait until a species gets endangered before showing care for it,” he said.

Piñol said on Monday that he would ask the town’s council to cite the children and “maybe provide them a little reward for what they did.”

Many wildlife species, including boars, are endemic to Magpet, a town of more than 45,000 people and found at the foot of Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak.

A number of eagle species are also known to inhabit the town’s forests. These include the Philippine eagle.–Williamor Magbanua and Allan Nawal