CITY OF KORONADAL – A Philippine Eagle was found dead on October 4, in Barangay Libertad, Arakan, Cotabato, after it was reportedly electrocuted by a power line at around 10:00 in the morning.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources—Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) Matalam immediately proceeded to the area with the Municipal ENRO of Arakan to verify the report. The responding team confirmed that the carcass was a Philippine eagle. It had electrical burn marks on its left wing and on two digits of its right talon.
The eagle’s carcass was directly turned over to the Philiipine Eagle Foundation (PEF) for necropsy, and it was determined that electrocution was indeed responsible for the eagle’s death. It was found that two air-gun bullets were recovered from the body, with the left-wing bullet associated with a recent wound estimated to be a few days old.
These findings disclosed that the eagle had been shot/hunted shortly before its passing
Meanwhile, DENR-12 OIC Regional Executive Director Maria Elvira V. Lumayag was disheartened by this news and called for the public to be part of the campaign to protect the majestic wildlife species.
“The department is saddened by the recent death of the Philippine Eagle following its passing. Our team through CENRO Matalam has already conducted an investigation in coordination with the Philippine Eagle Foundation for the proper proceedings of its death. “And in light of this unfortunate event, we urge the public to assist us in protecting not only our beloved ‘Haring Ibon’ but also all wildlife species that are critically endangered in the country,” RED Elvira stated.
Prior to this incident, a 5-year-old PH Eagle was recently rescued in Magpet, North Cotabato (September 27), which was shot by air gun pellets is under the custody of PEF, and it is currently under close clinical monitoring and observation at Doc Bayani’s Wellness Clinic in Davao City.
These events underscore the continuing threats faced by the country’s critically endangered national bird and the need for strengthened wildlife protection measures, community awareness, and rapid response mechanisms to ensure that the country’s national bird continues to thrive in the wild.
This also highlights that the public should immediately report injured, distressed, or dead wildlife to DENR, local government authorities, or other appropriate wildlife responders so they can intervene, investigate, and take an immediate conservation effort. # (𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑰𝑴𝑪𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒆, 𝑪𝑬𝑵𝑹𝑶 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒎 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆) I RSCIGK
