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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Released Philippine eagle killed in Mt. Kitanglad
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- A local airgun hunter killed a three-year-old Philippine Eagle named "Kagsabua," an environment official said.
Felix Mirasol, community environment and natural resource officer, said the hunter did not recognize that the bird he was shooting was a Philippine Eagle (pithecophaga jefferyi), an endangered specie.
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The 4.7-kilogram blue-eyed Kagsabua was last sighted on July 7 near Barangay Lupiangan, Sumilao, Bukidnon, the village where he was released just four months ago and was known to be missing between July 8 and 10, Mirasol said.
A search operation, he added, was immediately launched upon learning the said report.
On July 12, Mirasol said the transmitter gadget attached to the eagle's body was found buried at least six inches in the bank of a creek.
Kagsabua is the first eagle fitted with a satellite transmitter and a VHF radio to monitor his activities.
No carcasses were found, but Mirasol said feathers identified to be that of the eagle were found near the gadget.
Walter Yabunan, head of the Kitanglad Porters Association, said they recovered last July 15 two avian feet believed to have belonged to Kagsabua.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Northern Mindanao have ordered a full-blown investigation of the shooting.
Celestinano Yabunan, head of the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers (KGV), told DENR officials that three witnesses saw a young man who shot and ate the male eagle in Barangay La Fortuna, a village next to Lupiagan.
He said the witnesses told him that the hunter was not among those who attended the information drive about the Philippine Eagle conducted in the villages around Barangay Lupiagan.
Kagsabua was also shot and captured in 2006. But it was rescued and brought to the Philippine Eagle Foundation center in Calinan, Davao City until he was released back to his home at Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park last March.
The killing of Kagsabua is a setback to local efforts to conserve the Philippine Eagle and its habitat.
Fitted with a satellite transmitter and a VHF radio that could track its activities, scientists hope to track Kasagbua to determine how vast is an eagle's territory.
Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park covers 28 barangays in the towns of Lantapan, Impasugong, Sumilao, Libona, Manolo Fortich, Baungon, Talakag, and Malaybalay City. The park's highest peak, Mt. Dulang-dulang, is the country's second highest peak after Mt. Apo. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (July 17, 2008 issue)
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