Philippine eagle Mangayon dies after apparent shooting
Philippine Eagle Mangayon has passed away, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced.
"We mourn the loss of an immature male Philippine Eagle named 'Mangayon' rescued from the Municipality of Compostela, Davao de Oro, on July 8, 2024," it said on Facebook.
According to the foundation, Mangayon died "due to severe blood loss after being wounded." The veterinarians suspect the eagle was shot with an improvised slingshot or marble gun while he was perched.
"We appeal to the authorities to enforce the standing policies and laws aimed at stopping the persecution of violent eagle crimes and to strongly urge our government to exercise legal and operational mandates," it added.
"We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated personnel who contributed to the rescue and turnover of the eagle, 'Mangayon.'"
On its website, the PEF said it received a report on July 8 about an injured Philippine Eagle found "with an apparent left-wing injury on the ground in Bermuda, a part of Barangay Mangayon."
Upon arrival at the Philippine Army patrol base in Barangay Mangayon, Compostela where Mangayon was under custody, the rescue team discovered that the young eagle appeared lethargic and unresponsive with a partially dilated eye. It also said that he weighed "five kilograms and had a body condition score of 1 (BCS1), indicating slight thinness and dehydration."
Sgt. Badon mentioned feeding the eagle a smaller bird as food earlier that day.
In Davao, the medical assessment revealed that Mangayon, a healthy male eagle, had shattered bones in the left tarsal joints. According to the attending vet Dr. Bayani Vandenbroeck, his internal organs are in good condition.
"During the procedure, Mangayon began discharging foul fluids and solid materials from his mouth, which were identified as an undigested half-cooked chick. At 9:49 PM, Mangayon succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased," PEF said.
According to PEF, this isn't the first time they rescued an eagle that was shot. Three other birds—“Lipadas” of Mt. Apo, “Kalatungan” of Bukidnon, and “Nariha Kabugao” of Apayao—were also victims of gunshots this year.
