Eagle conservationists here have successfully hatched what they claim is the 24th Philippine Eagle (Pithecopaga jefferyi) bred in captivity.
The still unnamed eaglet, which weighed 116.5 grams, broke out of its shell after 57 days of incubation at the Philippine Eagle Foundation Center in Malagos here around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday.
The egg was produced by the natural pairing of Jag and Ka Brianne. It was the 10th offspring of the pair.
“It's good news for the critically endangered Philippine Eagle; one more will soon join you in the wild," said PEF executive director Dennis Salvador.
The PEF has been trying to breed eagles in captivity to increase the bird's population.
Experts believe there are only 500 pairs of eagles remaining in the wild.
The Philippine Eagle, one of the world's largest birds of prey, larger than the American Bald Eagle, was declared an endangered species in 1965.
In July 1995, President Fidel Ramos declared the Philippine Eagle the national bird.
