Singapore on Wednesday displayed two critically endangered eagles that were on loan from the Philippines as a part of a breeding program geared toward reversing declining numbers of the feathered giants.
The destruction of tropical rainforests and relentless hunting have decimated the population of the Philippine eagle – considered one of the biggest and strongest birds on this planet, with a wingspan that may reach 2 meters (7 feet) – and only about 800 remain within the wild, conservationists say.
The birds, Geothermica and Sambisig, are the primary breeding pair ever sent outside the Philippines and arrived in Singapore in June as a part of a 10-year loan from Manila.
The animals are cared for within the city-state’s important aviary and were shown to the media on Wednesday as a part of celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries.
“Any future offspring of the eagles will probably be returned to the Philippines to contribute to the sustainability of the species’ population,” said Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which runs the aviary.
The program refers to China’s “panda diplomacy”, in keeping with which the Asian giant sends black and white bears to countries as gifts.
In the Philippines, a small group of conservationists also runs a breeding program in a reserve on the outskirts of the southern city of Davao, near the eagles’ important forest habitat.
The bird of prey with white and brown plumage and an enormous wingspan has been classified as “critically endangered” by the conservation group International Union for Conservation of Nature.
