The Eagle the Maggots Almost Claimed
An injured Philippine Eagle with wounds already infested by maggots was surrendered by locals to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources DENR on July 3, 2026. The rescue that followed shows why every individual matters for one of the world’s rarest birds of prey.
When the rescue team arrived for the eagle’s emergency treatment, the first thing the veterinarians noticed was how exhausted the eagle looked.
The adult female was very weak, dehydrated, and unable to fly. Her chest and belly feathers were stained with soil, giving them a muddy brown appearance. The feathers on her wings and body were dirty, broken, and badly worn. These signs suggested that she had been on the ground for quite some time.
Then the veterinarians began cleaning her wounds.
As they gently washed the injured areas on both wings, maggots began to appear. The infestation was more extensive than anyone had expected. Larvae were found not only in the wing wounds but also around the base of her tail feathers, around the vent, and inside the lining of the cloaca.
For a bird that normally spends almost its entire life high in the forest canopy, it was a troubling sight.
The eagle had been found earlier that day near the Sawaga River in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City. Local residents brought her to the nearest accessible community, where government responders and conservation workers quickly organized a rescue.
The ancient forests of Dalwangan, within Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park, are among the Philippine Eagle’s most important strongholds. The area is recognized as a historic nesting territory and is the second-oldest known breeding territory for the species, with breeding consistently documented since 1986. This makes it one of the longest-monitored Philippine Eagle nesting territories anywhere in the world.
Within hours, personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources DENR, the Provincial Zoo, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office of Malaybalay, Indigenous community members, local volunteers, and the Philippine Eagle Foundation were working together to bring the bird to safety.
By early evening, the eagle was turned over to the Philippine Eagle Foundation at the Provincial Zoo in Malaybalay City, where veterinarians carried out the first full examination.
The bird’s condition raised many questions.
The wounds, together with her severe dehydration, soiled feathers, damaged plumage, and the advanced maggot infestation, suggested that her injuries were not recent. She had likely been unable to move normally for several days. But what caused those injuries is still unknown.
The Philippine Eagle is fully protected under Philippine law. Determining exactly what happened will require not only veterinary and forensic examinations but also a formal investigation by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in coordination with the Philippine National Police and, if warranted by the evidence, the National Bureau of Investigation, to determine whether Philippine wildlife laws were violated.
The veterinary team immediately began treatment. They cleaned and disinfected the wounds, removed as many maggots as they could find, administered pain medication, and started subcutaneous fluids to treat dehydration. Warm air was used to dry her feathers and help maintain her body temperature before she was transported to Davao City for further care.
After arriving in Davao City, the eagle underwent radiograph, blood test, parasite screening, and other diagnostic examinations at Doc Bayani’s Animal Wellness Hospital. The results will help veterinarians understand the full extent of her injuries and guide her treatment in the weeks ahead.
But removing the maggots was not a one-time procedure.
Each night, veterinarians and animal keepers carefully examine the eagle from head to tail. They gently part the feathers, inspect every wound, and manually remove every maggot they can find. Some are hidden deep within damaged tissue or beneath the feathers. Others continue to emerge as wounds are cleaned. The work is slow and repetitive, but every maggot removed gives the injured tissue a better chance to heal.
The eagle has been named Sawaga-Dalwangan, after the place where she was found.
Today, fewer than 400 breeding pairs of the Philippine Eagle are believed to remain in the wild. Every adult bird is important to the future of the species.
The rescue of Sawaga-Dalwangan also shows what can happen when people act together and without delay. Local residents, Indigenous communities, government agencies, veterinarians, wildlife biologists, animal keepers, and volunteers each played a part in bringing the eagle from the forest to specialized care.
Her recovery is still uncertain, and the cause of her injuries remains under investigation. For now, her story is a reminder that saving endangered wildlife is not only about protecting forests. It is also about responding when an individual animal needs help—and making sure that help arrives before it is too late.
![IN PHOTO [L-R]: Philippine Eagle Sawaga-Dalwangan Rescue Team: Rowell Taraya, Carmen Simene-Tangara, Dr. Danielle Pasion, Dominic Tadena, CENR Officer Dennis A. Juab, and Jo Victoria Cristy Cruz. Other members of the rescue team include members of the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers-Kibenton (KGV-Kibenton); Barangay Captain Royville Pasco and personnel of Barangay Dalwangan; and Ms. Marjorie Tabernero of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO), Malaybalay City, and. Dr. Bayani Vandenbroeck.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d08c94_09169f0813c84f75b0504624923e939c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/d08c94_09169f0813c84f75b0504624923e939c~mv2.jpg)
Follow the Philippine Eagle Foundation for updates on Sawaga-Dalwangan’s rehabilitation as our veterinary and conservation teams continue to do everything possible to give her the best chance of recovery.
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For confirmations, interview requests, and coverage arrangements, please contact:
IRICK L. FRANCISCO
Communications Officer and Conservation Education and Development Interim Lead
Philippine Eagle Foundation
irickfrancisco.work@gmail.com | 0962-842-3464
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