18-day-old male Philippine eaglet dies – foundation

Chick 30, a Philippine eaglet, died on Friday, November 29, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) said. (Photo from PEF/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — The short-lived fate of Chick 30, the first Philippine eaglet hatched at the National Bird Breeding Sanctuary (NBBS) in Davao City, ended on Friday, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) announced on Saturday.

PEF in a statement regarded Chick 30’s passing as a “solemn reminder of how delicate chick-rearing can be and how critically endangered species are particularly vulnerable.”

“As we mourn this loss, we also draw inspiration from the lessons learned, which will guide us in our mission to protect and recover the Philippine eagle population,” PEF added.

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PEF said that the 18 day-old male Philippine eaglet began displaying respiratory distress such as labored breathing and sneezing on Tuesday. The foundation added that the chick’s health declined despite being given immediate aid.

Further, a necropsy done by Dr. Bayani Vandenbroeck showed that the eaglet’s possible cause of death is yolk sac retention. PEF also noted that the chick’s underweight for its age.

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Challenging setback

Vandenbroeck shared that the death was unexpected as they followed strict hygiene and management protocols.

“Of all the chicks that they’ve successfully hatched and raised, this is the first time that the PEF breeding team had a case of yolk sac retention, which is usually linked to infection or other causes,” Vandenbroeck said in the same statement.

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NBBS Facility Manager Domingo Tadena expressed that the loss is a “challenging setback” for their team.

“This loss pushes us to learn, adapt, and strengthen our care practices moving forward,” Tadena added.

Chick 30, an offspring of Sinag and Pinpin, was hatched last November 11 with a 56-day incubation period through artificial insemination.

PEF previously said that the breeding season started in July and eventually reached the intensive phase in August, leading to the laying of egg last September 16.

The Philippine eagle is considered as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with only about 400 pairs remaining.