Photo credit: Philippine Eagle Foundation

The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) is celebrating an exciting breakthrough: the successful hatching of Philippine Eagle Chick No. 30 at the new National Bird Breeding Sanctuary (NBBS) in Eden, Toril. The hatch, which occurred on November 11, 2024, marks the first successful breeding at the NBBS, a state-of-the-art facility that only began operations a few months ago. This achievement is a huge milestone for Philippine Eagle conservation efforts.

The chick emerged after a 56-day incubation period, thanks to the intervention of PEF’s devoted team. Using a “help out” technique, they carefully assisted the hatching process to prevent the chick from suffocating due to excess carbon buildup. This step, involving precise intervention through the egg’s air space, was essential to ensuring the chick’s survival.

“The decision to use the ‘help out’ method was not made lightly,” shared Mr. Domingo Tadena, NBBS Facility Manager and PEF’s conservation breeding expert. “It was a calculated measure based on years of experience and the chick’s status during the later stages of incubation. Without our intervention, the risk of losing this hatching to suffocation was high. This chick’s survival represents not just a successful breeding cycle.”

Chick No. 30’s parents are Pinpin, a female eagle who incubated the egg naturally for the first seven days, and Sinag, the male eagle residing at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) and the chick’s semen donor. The breeding season began with vocal displays in July, intensified in August, and ultimately led to the egg being laid on September 16. Advanced technology from Liberec Zoo in the Czech Republic helped maintain optimal conditions throughout the incubation period, supporting PEF’s dedication to using innovation in conservation.

“This hatching marks a historic first for the NBBS, occurring just months after its establishment,” Tadena added. “It proves that with cutting-edge technology, cross-cultural collaboration, and unwavering dedication, we can create new hope for the Philippine Eagle and ensure future generations.”

Chick No. 30 symbolizes hope for the Philippine Eagle’s future, a critically endangered species found only in the Philippines and under constant threat from habitat loss and hunting. At NBBS, the chick will continue to receive the care and attention it needs for healthy growth, adding a new chapter to PEF’s ongoing efforts to protect this rare and majestic bird.

Reflecting on this achievement, PEF’s Executive Director, Mr. Dennis Salvador, highlighted the unique challenges in breeding Philippine Eagles. “This achievement underscores the unique challenges faced by specialists in breeding our National Bird. They are not only difficult to pair, but they also only mature and become productive after a long time. One necessarily needs to invest time and resources to make it work. But more importantly, besides skill, knowledge, and experience, it is the dedication and passion of our team that made this possible. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped and continue to invest in our common mission.”

The foundation also acknowledged its dedicated partners, Boysen Philippines and Philippine Airlines, who have adopted Pinpin and Sinag. Boysen expressed pride in seeing Pinpin contribute to this conservation milestone. "For several years, we have proudly supported the Philippine Eagle Foundation through our adoption of Pin-pin. Seeing her contribute to the successful hatching of Chick No. 30 reaffirms our commitment to protecting this majestic species. We believe in the power of conservation partnerships, and we are honored to play a part in PEF’s tireless efforts to secure a future for the Philippine Eagle," said Mr. Justin C. Ongsue, VP for Sales and Operations.

With this historic hatching, PEF is one step closer to ensuring the Philippine Eagle’s survival, a hopeful moment that reminds us all of the value of dedication, innovation, and collaboration in conservation.