A male rescued Philippine eagle receives support from the family of Mr. & Mrs. Engelbert and Renee Samantha Wee. Mr. & Mrs. Wee named the eagle “EYW Maharlika.” “We chose the name Maharlika because like the Philippine eagle, this word is uniquely Filipino and has become a symbol of the Filipino nation as a whole. The word Maharlika exudes confidence, majesty, and nobility – traits that both the Philippine eagle and the Filipino possess” Mr. Wee says.
EYW Maharlika is about four years old. He was rescued in Caraga, Davao Oriental. A thorough physical examination revealed that the bird was in a bad condition. There were two air gun pellets found in its body – one in the chest and another in its right thigh. The eagle also sustained a fractured right leg which resulted to its awkward posture. Due to these injuries, he is deemed unfit to be released back in the wild. This eagle is the 6th of the seven Philippine eagles (to date) that were rescued and rehabilitated since April.
After over a month in rehabilitation, EYW Maharlika is now in a better condition. His test results for Avian Flu and New Castle Disease came back negative. He is now housed in the PEC where we work towards his potential in contributing to our captive gene pool for conservation breeding. Although he can never return to his forest home, his future offspring may have that chance.
By adopting Philippine eagle EYW Maharlika for three years, the Wee family supports the PEF’s rescue and rehabilitation initiatives. Even in captivity, Maharlika remains to be an important part of the mission to save our national bird from extinction. The Wee family has committed to donate Php 200,000 annually which will go to Maharlika’s upkeep including food, enclosure maintenance, keeper, and veterinary care.
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