Philippine eagle 'Geothermica' dies in Singapore
One of the two housed Philippine eagles in Singapore died on Thursday, Sept. 7, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) said.
Geothermica or Geo, a rare eagle who was sent to Singapore on a breeding loan program, passed away due to infection from an undetermined cause.
"Let us remember Geothermica for his huge contribution as a Species Ambassador in Singapore where over 1.2 million guests from around the world experienced the majesty of the Philippines' national symbol and how important global cooperation is to save its kind," the PEF said in a statement.
"We are deeply saddened by Geothermica's passing but rest assured that we will not lose heart in our mission to foster international cooperations to save this global jewel."
According to the Mandai Wildlife Group, the 19-year-old eagle was admitted to the avian hospital after the team noticed he was “not feeding well, and initial blood tests indicated he was fighting an infection.” He was "closely watched" by the veterinary healthcare and avian team, who were in touch with the PEF.
However, Geo collapsed and had to be resuscitated twice.
"He underwent a blood transfusion to bolster his chance of pulling through because a repeat blood test indicated his red blood cells were low as his body was focused on producing white blood cells to fight the infection," it said.
"But, despite these efforts, he eventually succumbed to the infection," the Singapore-based zoo added.
X-rays revealed that he had a severe infection in his lung, leading to a "guarded prognosis." The Mandai Wildlife Group said that it is preparing him for a necropsy and more lab tests "to get a definitive diagnosis."
"Geo was a fighter, and his care team and veterinarians did their best to save him. This is a loss that they are still processing, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts," it said.
Geo and Sambisig, a female Philippine eagle, were sent to Singapore in June 2019 under a loan agreement between the Philippines and Singapore for breeding and conservation.
According to the PEF website, there are only around 392 pairs of Philippine eagles left in the country.
