Philippine Eagle

Pithecophaga jefferyi

The wild animal best-known to most Filipinos, and the most widely recognized symbol for conservation, is the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), the second-largest eagle in the world. These huge birds maintain populations only in old-growth lowland rain forest, although they will search for food in both old-growth and second-growth forest. They feed mostly on flying lemurs (also called kagwang), snakes, palm civets, flying squirrels, giant cloud rats, and occasional monkeys. From what little is know, adults choose mates with whom they remain throughout their very long lives (perhaps 20 years).They are often remarkably inconspicuous, often sitting on perches at the heads of a valleys while watching for prey, and only occasionally soaring long distances. Pairs live within territories of 20 to 50 square kilometers, usually constructing their nest in high treetops where visibility is unusually good. Theybreed no more than once a year, and may skips years entirely; incubation of the single egg lasts about two months, and the young take about four months to reach the point of leaving the nest.
      With such a low reproductive rate, and such a large home range, it is not surprising that the destruction of rain-forest habitat has been devastating to the Philippine eagle. Once found on most of the large islands of the country, they are now believed to be extinct on all but Luzon and Mindanao, where the only large tracts of old-growth forest remain. Even worse, they can breed successfully only in lowland old-growth rain forest, the most ravaged habitat in the country. The total eagle population in 1996 was believed to be no morethan 30 breeding pairs, most of which were confined to inaccessible mountains on Mindanao, and only a few inhabited the wilderness of the Northern Sierra Madre Mountains of northern Luzon. Despite prolonged effort, attempts to breed them in captivity have been unproductive thus far. Protection of their forest habitat is clearly the only hope for their survival. The eagles' remaining habitats typically form critically important watersheds for coastal cities;are since these area are also excellent places for conservation of other species, their protection would have widespread benefits. As the nation's top carnivore and most dramatic and widely known species, the Philippine eagle's survival or extinction is watched as one of the most important indicators of environmental improvement or collapse.

Original URL: http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/vanishing_treasures/V_Eagle.htm