Philippine serpent eagle rescued in Kalinga

PINUKPUK – A Philippine serpent eagle caught in a bird trap in a forest here has been rescued.

Pinukpuk Mayor Jimmy Dasayon said Ruben Padilla, who has been hunting birds using traps, told him that he caught the eagle on Monday.

“My only concern is to save the bird, so I gave him P500 as reward so he will not sell the bird or have it for pulutan,” Dasayon said.  

He said they named the eagle – which has a wingspan of almost 20 inches – Mutal, which means sharp, big eyes in Kalinga.

Dasayon said they would coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Eagle Foundation to save the endangered bird species from extinction. 

“Unfortunately we don’t have sanctuaries here...we can’t just release Mutal into the forest because we can’t guarantee its safety from possible indiscriminate hunting and other dangerous traps,” he said. 

Dasayon said there are other reports of sightings of the Philippine serpent eagle in their town. 

“Their number has been decreasing because of the destruction of their natural habitat due to kaingin, forest fire and hunting. Some people are still unaware that hunting, selling, killing and mere possession of endangered species like the serpent eagle is punishable by law,” he said. 

The Philippine serpent eagle thrives in forest clearings, open woodlands and cultivated lands with scattered trees. It has also been spotted in Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Isabela. – Victor Martin