The birth of a Philippine eagle on January 15, 1992, was met with global celebration. This event was particularly noteworthy as it represented the first instance of a Philippine eagle being bred and hatched in captivity, signifying a crucial advancement in the conservation initiatives for this endangered species. The eagle was given the name “Pag-asa,” which translates to “hope” in Tagalog.
“Pag-asa connotes hope for the continued survival of the Philippine eagle, hope that if people get together for the cause of the eagle, it shall not be doomed to die,” explains Dennis Joseph I. Salvador, the executive director of the Davao-based Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).
Precisely 33 years later, on December 5, 2025, another Philippine eagle was born via cooperative artificial insemination at the newly founded National Bird Breeding Sanctuary (NBBS).
The eagle was adopted by Nico Herth, the chief executive officer of Procon Grumbach, the creator of the contemporary incubator systems presently utilized by PEF’s Conservation Breeding team at the NBBS. The bird was given the name “Bayani,” which translates to “hero” in Tagalog.
“It was the donor’s choice,” Salvador said why the bird was named as such. “Apparently he saw the heroic effort our team makes to save the species in the wild and through captive breeding. The eaglet is a symbolic hero for a species trying to survive against the challenges of habitat loss , poaching and hunting.”
Bayani’s successful hatching was the result of the dedicated efforts of all those involved in the program. “Technology and expertise are essential to saving our national bird,” stated Jayson C. Ibañez, the director of the research and conservation division at PEF.
The Philippine eagle was officially designated as the national bird of the Philippines on July 4, 1995, by then-President Fidel V. Ramos through Proclamation No. 615, replacing the maya as the country’s bird icon.
“The story of Bayani illustrates how modern tools – such as sperm freezing and storage, automated incubation, and enhanced chick care and biosecurity – can significantly enhance the effectiveness of captive breeding programs for critically endangered species,” Ibañez remarked.
Collaboration is another essential factor contributing to its success. “None of this would have been possible without collaboration,” he says. “It took the combined efforts of homegrown talent from the foundation and the shared knowledge and experience of partners from the Czech Republic and across Europe. Together, science and teamwork made Bayani possible.”
Ibañez claimed Bayani’s successful hatching—and his strong growth so far—show two important things. “First, moving our breeding birds from the old Philippine Eagle Center to the new National Bird Breeding Sanctuary was the right decision,” he explained.
The Philippine Eagle Center was established in Malagos, Calinan in 1987. But due to the threats posed by avian flu outbreaks and the surrounding environment, the PEF decided to move its breeding programs to barangay Eden in Toril.
“The new site is much better for breeding,” Ibañez said. “It’s more isolated, has less human disturbance, and is located within a natural eagle habitat—with the right climate, elevation, and landscape.”
The second most important thing, which he described as “even more exciting”: “We can now fully use conservation breeding as a real tool to help save the species from extinction. We’ve improved our techniques, and we now have the right place to do it well.”
The task ahead is crucial. “The next step is to bring in new breeding individuals from the wild and produce more eagles—so we can eventually release them to suitable and vacant forest habitats to increase eagle numbers,” he pointed out.
The Philippine eagle is regarded as one of the largest and most formidable forest raptors. It is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This eagle species is endemic to the Philippines. Its lifespan varies between 30 and 60 years.
“The situation of the Philippine Eagle is becoming more serious,” Ibañez said. “Today, less than 20% of its original population remains in the wild. Recent genetic studies also show that many of the remaining eagles are inbred, which means they are losing genetic diversity. This is dangerous because it can weaken the species over time.”
He provided several examples. Some eagles rescued from Mt. Apo, for instance, are likely descendants of closely related parents according to DNA analysis. Additionally, a rescued eagle from Samar was identified as one of the most inbred individuals among those being cared for by the foundation.
“On top of this, the species continues to face major threats like habitat loss, hunting, trapping, and human persecution,” he lamented. “All of these pressures, combined with low genetic diversity, push the Philippine Eagle closer to extinction.”
This underscores the critical importance of conservation breeding. “Through controlled breeding in captivity, we can pair eagles from different bloodlines,” Ibañez said. “Using cooperative artificial insemination, we can mix genes from individuals that would never meet in the wild because their habitats are now isolated.”
In simpler terms, while wild populations can no longer easily intermix and maintain genetic health, conservation breeding provides the foundation with a method to restore genetic diversity. “That’s why it is a key strategy for saving the species,” he said.
Despite the success of its breeding program, the Philippine eagle remains in a fragile situation. “We are now at a crossroads for the Philippine eagle—between extinction and survival,” Ibañez decried. “This means we need to act quickly.”
He listed three urgent actions. “First, we need to secure as many genetic representatives as possible from the wild,” he said. “This means getting at least one eagle from each unique bloodline across Luzon, Samar, and Mindanao, and making sure these birds can breed successfully in captivity.
“Second, to find these different bloodlines, we must locate as many territorial pairs as possible in these areas. We need to identify their active nests and safely collect at least one offspring from each unique population. These young eagles can then be raised and prepared for future breeding.”
Curiously enough, there is also another important benefit to this work. “By finding and documenting as many long-used or ‘ancient’ nest sites as possible, we can protect these territories,” he said. “This allows us to continue research and monitoring and increases the number of nesting areas that are actively protected in the wild. In short, while we improve breeding in captivity, we are also strengthening conservation efforts in natural habitats.”
Lastly, Ibañez suggested strengthening international cooperation for conservation breeding using cooperative artificial insemination. “This includes working with trusted zoos and breeding centers around the world, sharing expertise, and, when appropriate, loaning birds for breeding programs,” he said.
He cited the loan of eagle Sambisig to Mandai Nature in Singapore as a good example of this approach. Similar partnerships with Liberec Zoo in the Czech Republic and other European zoos can help expand these efforts.
“Saving the Philippine Eagle will require strong science, careful planning, and close collaboration—both locally and globally,” he pointed out.
As such, the Philippine Eagle Conservation program needs all the help it could get. “We need support for constructing additional imprint cages for new birds coming from the wild to accelerate our breeding program. The NBSS is literally the new Noah’s Ark for imperiled national bird. And maintaining this conservation Noah’s ark requires resources.
The foundation also needs more support for organized nest searches across the Philippines. “These too require resources,” he said.
More importantly, it needs strong local and global support for these plans. “If we, as a global community, can save the eagle from extinction, it shows that we can choose to be a better, more responsible species,” Ibañez concluded.
The Philippine eagle was formerly known as monkey-eating eagle (its generic name, Pithecophaga, comes from the Greek words pithekos or monkey and phagein meaning eater).
The bird was later renamed the Philippine eagle under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of its diet, which consists mainly of flying lemurs, civet cats, bats, rodents, and snakes.
Efforts to save the Philippine eagle were started in 1965 by Jesus A. Alvarez, then director of the autonomous Parks and Wildlife Office, and Dioscoro S. Rabor, another founding father of Philippine conservation efforts. Charles Lindbergh spearheaded a drive to save the bird from 1969 to 1972.
“If the national bird dies,” said Ramos when he declared it as the country’s bird icon, “so will all the country’s efforts at conserving its natural resources and treasures.”
