Another rare raptor bred, hatched in captivity

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) achieved another breakthrough in its conservation breeding program with the breeding and hatching of another rare bird of prey.

After breeding a Philippine Eagle in captivity in 1992, PEF marked another first in its history on April 2, 2012 when it produced a Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus pinskeri) chick after an incubation period of 48 days at its facility.

This chick is the first of its species that was bred and hatched in captivity.

PEF said that the chick came from a natural pair, and weighed a mere 57.2 grams when it hatched.

The Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle is a species of bird of prey in the Acciptridae family and is endemic in the country.

PEF said that the medium-sized eagle’s appearance is light brown on the upper part and its dark brown tail is striped with four to five darker, narrow bands. It has a barred brown, black and white belly. The head and under parts are reddish-brown with black streaks, while the throat is whitish. Its wings are broad and rounded, and its barred flight feathers can be seen in flight.

Because of the rapid loss of its natural habitat, particularly the subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests in the country, the Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle is now considered a threatened species.

PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador said that the newly hatched chick must be closely monitored to ensure its survival.

“We have to carefully and constantly monitor the chick and make notes on its progress since it is the first Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle hatched by our breeding program. Hopefully, it will survive and we will be able to improve our breeding techniques of this species through this experience,” said Salvador.

However, he noted that despite the progress in the facility’s conservation breeding program, a big challenge remains: the survival of the species in its natural habitat.

“In the past 20 years, the PEF’s conservation breeding program has gained significant advancement that will make it possible for us to augment the eagle population. The real challenge is the Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle’s survival in the wild.”

“The fast diminishing forests and destruction of their habitats are still the biggest threats to their survival. We need everyone’s contribution to ensure that the Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle population will increase, especially in the wild,” he added.

In 1992, PEF did something the country thought was impossible when it bred and hatched for the first time a Philippine Eagle named Pag-asa.

PEF is a private, non-stock, non-profit organization that was formed with the objective of saving the endangered Philippine Eagle and its rainforest habitat. 

Beginning 1987, PEF operated as a project undertaking research, rehabilitation, and captive breeding. Today, the facility has evolved into the country’s premiere organization for the conservation of raptors. – Rappler.com