Endangered Philippine Hawk-Eagle freed in Abra

Danglas, Abra – A Philippine hawk-eagle, an endangered species, is now free and soaring in its natural habitat after the local government of Danglas released it in Nagaparan, Danglas during the celebration of Philippine Environment Month and the 27th Philippine Eagle Week on June 13.

The Philippine hawk-eagle is a vocal, forest-dwelling raptor native to Luzon, and is now classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss. Said union is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus, and plant species.

As cited by Data Zone – BirdLife, the population has decreased to fewer than 2,500 mature hawk-eagles remaining as of 2024, down by an estimated 1,000–2,000 from the previous year.

The release of the endangered animal back into the wild was led by the local government of Danglas in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Abra, marking a key step in the conservation and hope for the wildlife.  

The DENR, meantime, continues to call on the public to actively participate in wildlife conservation efforts by reporting illegal activities, protecting natural habitats, and raising awareness about the importance of preserving the country’s rich biodiversity.