Post by admin on Oct 13, 2014 8:15:07 GMT 8
Philippine eagle sighted twice
Critically-endangered bird has a chance to thrive
Ellalyn De Vera
October 12, 2014
The elusive Philippine eagle has been spotted twice in two weeks in the forests of Samar Island – a significant development in efforts to allow the critically endangered bird species to thrive in its natural habitat, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Reports reaching the DENR’s head office in Quezon City said the bird species – endemic to the Philippines–was seen by members of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and the Institute of Biology of the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP) during an expedition at the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) from September 19 to October 4.
“This is definitely an exciting development. These latest sightings only show that the Philippine eagle still has a chance to survive in its natural habitat and the forests of Samar Island provide a safe haven for the rare bird,” DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said.
The experts said the first sighting was in the thickly forested barangay of Buluan in Calbiga town, Samar, the same area where a juvenile Philippine eagle was captured by hunters in 2011. The second one was within the Taft Forest Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Samar.
Both sightings were captured on video and a sequence of photographs taken by the PEF-UP team.
The bird is known to be geographically restricted to the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
Records show that the Philippine eagle was first seen in Paranas, Samar on June 15, 1896 by a British naturalist John Whitehead.
It was followed by a sighting in 1997, which compelled then-President Joseph Estrada to declare the 3,720 hectares of Samar forest as Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary on July 31, 1999 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 155.
A sighting of the national bird at the SINP was also recorded in 2011. This was followed by another sighting in 2013 by Ruth Francisco, an avid birder from the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.
With the recent sighting, DENR-Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Leonardo Sibbaluca urged anew the people of Samar to help protect the remaining forests of Eastern Visayas, saying the existence of Philippine eagle and other wildlife depends on their condition.
“Let us be proud with the presence of the Philippine eagle in our locality because this indicates a rich and ecologically balanced forest favorable for the mighty bird to inhabit,” Sibbaluca said.
Source: www.mb.com.ph/philippine-eagle-sighted-twice/
Critically-endangered bird has a chance to thrive
Ellalyn De Vera
October 12, 2014
The elusive Philippine eagle has been spotted twice in two weeks in the forests of Samar Island – a significant development in efforts to allow the critically endangered bird species to thrive in its natural habitat, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Reports reaching the DENR’s head office in Quezon City said the bird species – endemic to the Philippines–was seen by members of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and the Institute of Biology of the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP) during an expedition at the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) from September 19 to October 4.
“This is definitely an exciting development. These latest sightings only show that the Philippine eagle still has a chance to survive in its natural habitat and the forests of Samar Island provide a safe haven for the rare bird,” DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said.
The experts said the first sighting was in the thickly forested barangay of Buluan in Calbiga town, Samar, the same area where a juvenile Philippine eagle was captured by hunters in 2011. The second one was within the Taft Forest Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern Samar.
Both sightings were captured on video and a sequence of photographs taken by the PEF-UP team.
The bird is known to be geographically restricted to the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.
Records show that the Philippine eagle was first seen in Paranas, Samar on June 15, 1896 by a British naturalist John Whitehead.
It was followed by a sighting in 1997, which compelled then-President Joseph Estrada to declare the 3,720 hectares of Samar forest as Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary on July 31, 1999 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 155.
A sighting of the national bird at the SINP was also recorded in 2011. This was followed by another sighting in 2013 by Ruth Francisco, an avid birder from the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.
With the recent sighting, DENR-Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Leonardo Sibbaluca urged anew the people of Samar to help protect the remaining forests of Eastern Visayas, saying the existence of Philippine eagle and other wildlife depends on their condition.
“Let us be proud with the presence of the Philippine eagle in our locality because this indicates a rich and ecologically balanced forest favorable for the mighty bird to inhabit,” Sibbaluca said.
Source: www.mb.com.ph/philippine-eagle-sighted-twice/