A four-month-old Philippine Eagle was reportedly found dead on Tuesday at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Davao City. “Espoir”, the eaglet, was the latest to hatch and be bred in captivity. The name “Espoir” means hope in the French language. It was inspired by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)’s name.
PEC executive director Dennis Salvador said that Espoir’s remains were found on the floor of its enclosure. Meanwhile, footage from a closed-circuit television camera apparently revealed that the baby bird was unfortunately attacked by a python.
The non-profit organization is now reportedly taking the necessary steps to capture the snake. Walls of enclosures at the PEC were also said to be snake-proofed with a layer of wire mesh added to the original cyclone wire.
Philippine Eagles are critically endangered with only fewer than 700 breeding pairs alive today, according to the latest National Geographic report. They are also said to be one of the world’s rarest birds of prey.
According to the Philippine Eagle Foundation, these birds take 5 to 7 years to sexually mature and only lay a single egg every two years. Before producing another offspring, they even wait for the eaglet to make it on their own which usually takes up to two years.
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