The Philippine Eagle Foundation believes that saving the population of the Philippine Eagle is not a lost cause, after all.
The private sector is being tapped to assist and provide the necessary logistical and technical support to PEF through its Philippine eagle adoption program.
Currently—through the foundation’s partnership with Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, an oil company based in Davao—they hope to accomplish more in their captive breeding efforts to augment the population of the species.
PEF’s conservation breeding program, cooperative artificial insemination techniques and breeding of natural pairs in order to contribute to the species’ population are among the methods currently being employed.
Phoenix Philippines Foundation, Inc. of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, one of the leading private companies that support the foundation’s captive breeding efforts, takes pride in the Philippine Eagle and its significance in keeping a healthy and balanced ecosystem.
“We fully support the Philippine Eagle Foundation in its efforts to protect and save our majestic national bird,” said Phoenix Petroleum president and CEO Dennis Uy.
PEF executive director Dennis Salvador, meanwhile, airs his group’s call for more private companies like Phoenix to join in this noble mission of protecting our national bird from extinction.
Phoenix’s adopted Philippine eagle, named after the company, is a natural pair to the female eagle “Marikit.” They have been paired for about seven years now. They are one of the four natural pairs at the Philippine Eagle Center. The pair has laid eggs in the past breeding seasons, but they were infertile.
Philippine eagle Phoenix as part of a natural pair has a crucial role in the efforts to augment the dwindling population of the species.
The PEF team is hopeful that in the next breeding season Phoenix and his pair can finally produce their first fertile egg.
Philippine Eagles are monogamous birds—they keep only one partner for life. Finding their pair takes time both in the wild and in captivity. At the PEC, pairing attempts are done in an introduction cage about 40 feet high. It has a partition in the middle to avoid the eagles from harming each other in the process.
Philippine eagles are highly territorial and show aggression to each other if they are not compatible.
“Once an eagle finds a suitable female eagle for him, he will court her by giving her twigs. It’s like giving roses to us humans,” said Rai Gomez, PEF Education administrator. “Once the pair successfully copulates, they are able to lay an egg. It takes 56 to 60 days to hatch an eagle.”
The PEF is hopeful for the success of every natural pair in the Philippine Eagle Center. Through the participation of corporations like Phoenix Petroleum, the PEF is able to look after the needs of the eagles in captivity by providing for their food, medicine, shelter and veterinary care.