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Cimatu reiterates his proposal for an amendment to the wildlife law to safeguard the Philippine eagle.

Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Roy A. Cimatu reiterated his call for lawmakers to amend Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001, to ensure stricter penalties in the wake of the pandemic’s rising number of Philippine eagle rescues.

Cimatu made the comment after a Philippine eagle dubbed “Godod” was released on January 10 in the municipality of Godod, Zamboanga del Norte province.

“Experts in Philippine eagle biology and ecology believe that the increase in rescues during this season indicates that perpetrators are intruding into the forests to hunt for food and a source of income, causing a disruption in forest habitats,” Cimatu said in a statement on Sunday.

“We must be watchful and make the criminals aware that if they continue to commit such heinous acts, they will be held accountable under environmental regulations. Faced with such activities on a regular basis, we implore our legislators to assist us in protecting the Philippine eagle and other natural species “Added he.

Godod, a female Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), was rescued after a local “caught and in captivity by a resident somewhere in Barangay Bunawan, Godod in Zamboanga del Norte” reported it.

A team from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, was dispatched to save the raptor right away.

Following its recovery, the raptor was given an X-ray to see if it had any fractures or other injuries, as is typical protocol for rescued birds.

To see if the bird had contracted any infections, tests for AI (avian influenza) and NCD (New Castle’s Disease) were performed.

The provincial veterinarians of Zamboanga Sibugay suggested that the bird be released after a thorough and detailed examination.

The Philippine Eagle is an “indicator species in terms of analyzing the richness of forest ecosystems and biodiversity in a region,” according to DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula officer-in-charge Regional Executive Director and Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Ronald Gadot.

“As a top predator, the Philippine eagle prefers to live in areas with plenty of food and prey. Monkeys, hornbills, snakes, flying lemurs, wild pigs, wild cats, and a variety of other wildlife species live on Godod’s hilly parts, and they provide a significant portion of the island’s diet. The environment is ideal for these eagles to thrive because of the close canopy of the Dipterocarp forest and its elevation “Gadot said.

The eagle was tagged and fitted with a global positioning system, or GPS tracker, before being released, and the release site was evaluated for habitat appropriateness.

Under DENR Administrative Order 2019-09, known as the updated National Lists of Threatened Philippine Fauna and their Categories, and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, the Philippine eagle is listed as a critically endangered species.

It’s also on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN.

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