I don’t know about you but there is something majestic about the Philippine Eagle. Or perhaps eagles in general have that majestic aura in them. Either way, the Philippines is fortunate to have a national symbol as that of the Philippine Eagle.
And nowhere is this affection for the Philippine Eagle is more evident than in Davao City, in which it has adopted the bird as a symbol for the city. Considering the current status of the eagle’s existence, it is necessary that the Philippine Eagle has a sanctuary of its own where it would be able to breed and live free from bullets and other elements that have threatened its existence. So in my recent trip to Davao, the Urban Roamer paid a visit to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City’s Calinan District, an hour or so away from the city proper.
One thing to note is that the Philippine Eagle Center is actually located within a protected reservoir area, the Malagos Reservoir which is being maintained by the Davao City Water District. Think of it as Davao’s equivalent to Metro Manila’s La Mesa Reservoir. Thus, there are a lot of towering trees that give much needed shade, a fitting home for the king eagle of the Philippines.
The Philippine Eagle Center serves primarily as a research and breeding facility to raise the population of Philippine Eagles. As such a number of them have been born and raised here until they are fit to be released into the wild.
Some Philippine Eagles here are kept in high cages covered with vines that you could not see them unless they are perched up high on a tree inside those cages. But there are cages where one can visibly some Philippine Eagles in all their splendor.
The Philippine Eagle Center is not just a home for their namesake creatures. It also serves as home for other species of animals, some of which are endangered as well where they can be at least be taken care of and away from the perils outside that would hasten their extinction.
While we long for the day that the Philippine Eagle and other species would be able to roam the wild freely and no longer threatened by extinction, we should at least be thankful for the meantime that there are institutions like the Philippine Eagle Center that has managed to give a good fight for their continued survival, for their sake and ours as well.
For more information on the Philippine Eagle and the Philippine Eagle Center, you can visit their website at www.philippineeagle.org.
