COTABATO CITY – An adult Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) was spotted perched on a Lauan tree in Barangay Salab, Magpet, North Cotabato, near the foot of Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak, an environment official said Thursday.
Lawyer Felix Alicer, regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 (Soccsksargen), said a team from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Matalam was dispatched to the area Wednesday after receiving reports of potential poaching threats.
Upon verification, the Wildlife Resources and Conservation Unit, alongside local patrollers, confirmed the eagle’s presence.
Magpet is part of the Mount Apo Natural Park, a crucial habitat for the critically endangered Philippine Eagle.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) estimates that only 392 pairs remain in the wild. The DENR and the International Union for Conservation of Nature classify the species as critically endangered, with poaching and habitat loss posing significant threats.
Alicer expressed relief that local residents and farmers are aware of their responsibility to protect wildlife and hand over rescued endangered species to authorities.
In a related incident, Renato Santiago, a farmer in Barangay Bulucaon, Pigcawayan, rescued a Crested Serpent Eagle on Tuesday and promptly turned it over to environmental officials. (PNA)