Young Philippine Eagle dies after suspected electrocution in Misamis Oriental

The death highlights ongoing threats to the endangered species in local forest habitats.

A young Philippine Eagle was found dead near an electrical post in Salay in Misamis Oriental—with burn marks on its feet suggesting possible electrocution.

The Philippine Eagle Foundation reported the death on its website on Oct. 5, saying the female eagle was found on Oct. 1 in Barangay Guinalaban.

She was estimated to be less than five years old and weighed 5.25 kilograms. People in the area had reportedly seen her flying the day before.

PEF resident veterinarian Danielle Kirsten Pasion conducted a post-mortem examination on Oct. 2. Burn marks were found on the eagle’s foot pads, with no other obvious external injuries.

The PEF said the burn marks and internal findings were consistent with suspected electrocution, although decomposition had made some findings difficult to interpret.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Northern Mindanao is also investigating the death. It had earlier said electrocution was being considered as a possible cause pending further examination.

The eagle was found in an area with a history of Philippine Eagle records.

In 1984, an adult male Philippine Eagle rescued in Lagonglong, several kilometers from Guinalaban, was brought into the conservation breeding program. Originally named Jag and later known as Dagitab, the eagle eventually sired six young eagles.

In 1985, another young Philippine Eagle was rescued after crashing into the sea off Barangay Dampil in Lagonglong. It was later rehabilitated and released into the Lagonlong forest.

The PEF said the records do not establish that the three birds shared the same territory, family, or lineage. But they raise the possibility that the forests around Salay and Lagonglong have long been part of Philippine Eagle habitat.

The suspected electrocution also recalls a 2018 case in Arakan in North Cotabato, where a two-year-old free-living Philippine Eagle was found dead near a powerline. An inspection later found an exposed 220-volt secondary line, according to the PEF.

That case led to a partnership between the PEF, the Cotabato Electric Cooperative, and other groups to retrofit powerlines around the Mt. Sinaka eagle habitat. By 2025, three kilometers of a planned 4.5-kilometer retrofit had been completed.

In Salay, it remains unclear whether the eagle’s death was an isolated incident or whether electrical infrastructure in the area poses a recurring risk to wildlife.

It is also unclear whether Philippine Eagles are still regularly using the forests around Guinalaban and Lagonglong.