FOR the longest time, proof of Philippine eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi) inhabiting Pasonanca Natural Park in Zamboanga City relied merely on brief sightings by forest guards or eagle feathers found on the forest floor.

But this changed in 2019 when, for the first time, a Philippine eagle family and their nest were fully documented and observed in a series of field expeditions led by Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), together with partners from the Zamboanga City government, Zamboanga City Water District, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and United States Agency for International Development (USAid).

Partnership for eagle research

Threatened by hunting and habitat loss, the Philippines’ national bird has around 400 pairs left all over the country; half of which can be found in Mindanao. While PEF has led Philippine eagle studies in various parts of the region, an eagle subpopulation in Zamboanga Peninsula, including those in Pasonanca, is yet to be studied and fully understood.

“We can only save what we can understand,” said Dr. Jayson Ibañez, PEF Director for Research and Conservation. “For a critically endangered species like the Philippine eagle, finding, studying, and protecting each individual bird in the wild are the only means to save it from extinction.”

This has led PEF, USAid and partners in Zamboanga City to roll out the first-ever field study to survey Philippine eagles and find an active nest inside Pasonanca Natural Park. The 17,000-hectare protected area is one of the few remaining intact forests in Zamboanga Peninsula, making it an important habitat for many bird species and other wildlife. Through a series of expeditions, the field study aims to locate nesting sites in the park, record and observe behaviors of resident eagles, and tag and monitor live Philippine eagles.read more…