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Girlie, a rescued Philippine Eagle in her mid-40s, is a living reminder of people’s shared responsibility to protect the species.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — A female Philippine Eagle named Girlie was symbolically issued Senior Citizen and Persons with Disability cards by the Quezon City Government.
Housed at Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, the 46- or 47-year-old Girlie is estimated to be the oldest known Philippine Eagle in captivity.
While the issuance of cards are merely symbolic last June 4 ahead of this year's Philippine Eagle Week, it is worthy to note that Girlie has now surpassed the life expectancy of her endangered species.
"Girlie is more than a resident of a city park; she is a living reminder of our shared responsibility," said Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna in a statement.
Girlie's disability originates from a damaged wing and her being partially blind after losing vision in her right eye as a result of a slingshot injury prior to her rescue in 1982 when she was just around a couple years old.
In October of that year, the eagle was brought to a woman in Cagayan de Oro as collateral for a P769 loan. The bird initially refused food but later was kept in cage to feed on beef and live snakes.
Two months later, the then-Philippine Eagle Research and Nature Center of Mt. Apo rescued Girlie, who was in poor condition, and flew her to Davao City.
In 1984, Girlie was paired with another rescued eagle named Tsai, which led to the former laying an egg in December 1987.
Though the egg failed to develop after 17 days and did not hatch, it was the the first fertile egg recorded in Philippine Eagle captive-breeding history.
Girlie moved to Quezon City in 2009 as part of an exchange for another Philippine Eagle named Kalinawan. The latter raptor received semen from Pag-asa — the first of his species to be bred and hatched in captivity — and resulted in the hatching of the eagle Mabuhay.
Girlie became a sort of education ambassador for the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center and over the years has slowed her activity.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Philippine Eagle as critically endangered, with only around 400 pairs left in the wild.
