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The first captive-bred Philippine Eagle produced for the 2005-06 breeding season is stable, six days after it hatched at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City.

The hatchling, a product of the natural pairing of eagles Tsai and Princess Maasim , is the 19 th Philippine Eagle bred in captivity by the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF.) It hatched around noon of November 25 weighing 158.5 grams.

PEF Conservation Breeding staff headed by Deputy Director Domingo Tadena were elated that the new chick needed no assistance getting out of its shell, but kept the chick under intensive monitoring during the critical first few days of its life.

First born in new incubation and rearing facility

The eagle chick is the first to hatch in the Elias Lopez Facility for Incubation and Rearing at the Center, inaugurated in June this year in preparation for the onset of the breeding season in July. The facility was built to support the growing number of Philippine Eagles that the PEF produces.

"Breeding and rearing techniques have greatly improved since Pag-asa was born 13 years ago, and we anticipate more eagles as we progress with our research," PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador said.

The new annex is designed to accommodate the expected increase in egg production with the approaching sexual maturity of the first generation of captive-bred eagles the PEF has produced. The rescue of eagles who are too injured or unfit for life in the wild has also brought additional breeding stock to the Center. The Elias Lopez Facility also features an intensive care area for the rearing of young eagles during the crucial first month.

Conservation breeding of the extremely rare eagle species began as far back as the 1970s, when indiscriminate logging and rampant hunting rapidly depleted the eagle population. Quick population-replacement solutions like captive breeding were most needed, even as work for the long-term protection of the eagles and their habitat were also implemented.

Godparents needed

As with eagles born before it, the newborn chick will be made available for adoption and naming under the PEF's popular Adopt-an-Eagle program. The program started when the first captive-bred eagle Pag-asa was born in 1992 with as many as six organizations offering to help in raising Pag-asa by shouldering expenses for his food and care.

To date, PEF seeks assistance in the rearing of 17 of the 33 eagles in the Philippine Eagle Center. For more information on adopting an eagle, the Philippine Eagle Foundation may be reached through the following phone numbers: Manila: 02 8140418 (Tanya), Davao: 082 2243022, or through info@philippineeagle.org .