Police probe Philippine Eagle Mangayon shooting

Police has launched an investigation to capture the perpetrator behind the fatal shooting of a Philippine Eagle in Compostela, Davao de Oro.

Compostela Municipal Police Station chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Jesser Vagilidad told GMA News Online on Friday that authorities are now locating the person who turned over the dead bird to the military.

“Kasi siya 'yung first-hand na nakakita ng Philippine Eagle or naka-rescue, 'yun po talaga 'yung aim namin to know kung ano ba ang status ni Mangayon during the time na na-rescue niya at sino 'yung mga nandoon. That would be part of our initial investigation,” he said.

(Because he is the first one who saw or recovered the Philippine Eagle, we want to know what was the condition of Mangayon when they recovered it and who were the people there. That would be part of our initial investigation.)

He said if a person of interest or suspect is identified, the police will coordinate with the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), Compostela local government, and the municipal environment and natural resources office for the possible filing of complaints.

According to PEF, Mangayon died on Wednesday due to severe blood loss from a gunshot wound on the left wing, with a high probability of sepsis from his injury.

Read: EXPLAINER: Majestic but critically endangered Philippine Eagle

A Philippine Army soldier reportedly found the stricken male eagle in a weakened state during a patrol in Barangay Mangayon. The eagle was under the custody of the Army patrol base in the barangay. 

When turned over to PEF, Mangayon was unresponsive with its right eye partially dilated. The eagle also vomited while being transported and undergoing medical treatment.

Initial assessment revealed that Mangayon weighs five kilograms and has an indication of slight thinness and dehydration.

The necropsy results showed that Mangayon was a healthy bird with all internal organs in good condition.

According to PEF, Mangayon is the fourth victim of gunshot in 2024. The other eagles were “Lipadas” in Mt. Apo, “Kalatungan” in Bukidnon, and “Nariha Kabugao” in Apayao. 

“This is the 20th case of eagle rescue since 2020, or a rate of 5 birds per year, which remains high,” PEF said.

On its website, the PEF said the Philippine Eagle “is considered to be one of the largest and most powerful among forest raptors. They are also listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated number of only 400 pairs left in the wild.”—AOL, GMA Integrated News