Monkey Eating Eagle

They say that one's trip to Davao City is not complete if the Philippine Eagle Center is not visited. It was on my top list of places to visit and I was glad that it was just less than an hour away from the city and transportation to the site is very convenient. Airconditioned mini truck vans(20 seater) leave every 15 minutes at the terminal in Bangkerohan to the town of Calinan where you get off and take the tricycle or habal-habal(motorbike with driver) to Malagos District where the Philippine Eagle Center is located. It is about 10 minutes away from Calinan. The center is located in a tropical forest garden where you can enjoy viewing a multiple variety of tropical plants, flowers, & trees. It was worth seeing and I didn't regret going to that place.

The Center is home to 36 Philippine Eagles, 18 of which are captive-bred. It also houses 10 other species of birds, 4 species of mammals and 2 species of reptiles. Simulating a tropical rain forest environment, the Center offers the visitor a glimpse into the country’s forest ecosystem. Although the exhibits are used primarily to help educate the Filipino people on conservation, the facility is also considered a major tourist attraction in Davao City. 

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature reported that fewer than 250 adult Pithecophaga jefferyi, with a 2-meter (6.6-ft) wingspan are estimated to be left in the Philippines. Also known as monkey-eating eagles, about 800 of the giant birds are believed to remain in the Philippines, due to deforestation and poaching

Charles Lindbergh best known for crossing the Atlantic in 1927, was fascinated by this eagle.

As a representative of the World Wildlife Fund, he travelled to the Philippines several times between 1969 and 1972, where he helped persuade the government to protect the eagle.

Its numbers have slowly dwindled over the decades with only an estimated 500 pairs left. A series and floods and mud slides, caused by deforestation, further devastated the remaining population. The Philippine Eagle may soon no longer be found in the wild, unless direct intervention is taken. The PHILIPINE EAGLE FOUNDATION (PEF) of Davao City is one such organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of the Philippine Eagle and its forest habitat. In fact, PEF has been successfully breeding Philippine Eagles in captivity for over a decade now and has also conducted the first experimental release of a captive-bred eagle to the wild. Ongoing research on behavior, ecology and population dynamics is also underway.In recent years protected lands have been established. Cabuaya Forest, at 700 square kilometers, is one that specifically protects the eagle. (info source: wikipedia)