How a Philippine eagle became a symbol of hope
Jan 15, 2021 8:41 AM PHT
Before the Philippine eagle became the national bird and the quintessential symbol of Philippine wildlife, very little was known about the raptor.
It was in 1965 when Dioscoro Rabor, also known as the Father of Philippine Wildlife Conservation, alerted the public about the Philippine eagle's
(Pithecophaga jefferyi) endangered status, which started the race to save the bird from extinction. Illegal hunting and continued denudation of Philippine forests contribute to the dwindling numbers of this majestic bird.
Rabor called for a conference with the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Thailand. With the help of renowned conservationist Charles Lindbergh, Bob Kennedy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and a slew of peace corps volunteers, a breeding program was established near Mt Apo, the country's highest peak, in 1978. The Philippine Eagle Foundation, the leading conservation group, was founded the same year.