Shot Philippine Eagle Survives With Three Airgun Pellets in Her Body
A young Philippine Eagle found weak in Cotabato was carrying three airgun pellets. Vets removed two, and the critically endangered bird is now recovering under close veterinary care.
A young Philippine Eagle rescued in Magpet, in the southern Philippine province of Cotabato, was carrying three airgun pellets in her body when she was found, according to the Philippine Eagle Foundation. Veterinarians removed two of them, and the bird, now named “Magpet,” is recovering under close monitoring.
X-rays found pellets near her wing, leg and tail
The eagle was found weak on the evening of September 27 in Barangay Manobo and handed to the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which passed her on to the foundation. An examination identified her as a roughly five-year-old, presumed female weighing 5.15 kilograms. She was still bright, alert and responsive, the foundation said.
X-rays showed one pellet near the right wing, one near the right leg and one near the base of the tail. Two sat close enough to the surface to be removed under local anesthesia. The team left the third in place after judging that taking it out could put the bird at further risk.
Vets saw no fresh entry wound, which suggests she may have carried the pellets for some time. Nobody knows who shot her, or when. The treated areas are now being watched for swelling, infection and other complications.
Shootings remain a leading threat to one of the world’s rarest eagles
This is not the first such case in Magpet. In 2013, a juvenile Philippine Eagle rescued in nearby Barangay Amabel died from a .22-caliber gunshot wound. The foundation says eagles sometimes take domestic animals such as pigs, and it asks residents to report birds near farms to local authorities rather than shoot them.
“We have seen this happen too many times. Philippine Eagles continue to be shot with air guns and improvised firearms. Our Population Viability Analysis warns that the population could collapse if these human-caused deaths do not stop.” — Dennis I. Salvador, Executive Director, Philippine Eagle Foundation
The species has been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN since 1994. A published population study puts the wild population at about 392 breeding pairs, with the largest share on Mindanao, the island where Magpet was found.
The rescue confirms eagles still use an old nesting territory
The rescue site lies in a Philippine Eagle nesting territory with records going back to 1983. The last confirmed nest there was in 1990; since then, only local reports of a lone eagle remained. The area is part of the Mount Apo Key Biodiversity Area, about 100,000 hectares of forest that holds 10 historic nest sites.
The foundation said it will share updates on Magpet’s treatment and rehabilitation as she regains strength.
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