Save Me: Pithecophaga jefferyii

(The first in a profile series highlighting several threatened species known to inhabit the Abaga Falls area.)

The people know me as Pagasa or the Monkey-eating eagle or even the great Philippine Eagle. The Filipino people refer to me in stories and in legends that they pass down through the generations. They emblazon my likeness on coins and military insignias. But few actually know me and even fewer have actually seen me in the wild.

I inhabit the lush tropical forests of the Southern Philipinne islands. In places like Abaga Falls, where I can hunt and raise my young without danger or disturbance.

All of that has been changing lately though. The humans continue to press further and further into our forests. At last count, there are less than 300 of us in the northern Mindinao area. We are killed to protect livestock, hunted for sport or kidnapped to be sold as exotic pets.

Worse, the areas that we often hunt and rear our young is being decimated for use as farmland. The trees we use to stand vigil and keep watch over our domain are being cut down to use as lumber.

At this point, all we can do is keep hope. Hope that the humans who often play the role of our enemies, will realize that it is only they who have the power to be our protectors and saviors.

Would you like to know more about me?

The Philippine Eagle Foundation

Philippine Eagle on Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the....

Don't let the hiatus of active posts this past few months be any indication that I've somehow slacked off from my usual obsession regarding Abaga Falls. Quite the contrary! While it's true that I have been busy with things outside the realm of the this project, it is also true that I've been lucky enough dig up some very interesting information regarding the current environmental status of the Abaga Falls area (remember, this is still the primary quest of this project). Please note, I am using the term "interesting" here to denote that content of the information and not necessarily the quantity that is readily available to people outside of the immediate area. In regards to the latter, the situation remains the same... obtaining information about Abaga Falls is literally like pulling teeth. As I had mentioned in previous posts, I've been doing my best to make contact with locals, both formally and informally in a vain attempt to locate someone, anyone willing to provide any current information regarding the ecosystem. I've e-mailed countless local government officials, reached out to other bloggers and as well as local environmental groups for assistance. Nothing.

Well, up until recently that is... I was lucky enough to finally make contact with some of the folks from a group known as the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands. While they themselves were unable to provide any specific information regarding Abaga Falls (they've never even heard of the place!), they were able to put me in contact with some people that may be of value to our project now and in the future. One of of the most interesting things that I was able to cull from my recent various e-mail exchanges with these new contacts, was that Abaga Falls itself continues to be a mystery. Like some mysterious forbidden place right out of a good adventure movie. Frustration. Does anyone in that area know about Abaga Falls? There is so little information available. No one I've written to seems to know much of anything. Take for example, the second-hand satellite photo that one of my contacts recently provided (see attached photo). The photo has been cropped for the sake of size, but notice the markings on it to indicate various locations... Abaga Cliff? Why did whomever made this mark use the word "cliff" instead of "falls"??? Is this possibly because any sizable amount of water no longer flows through this area? Does Abaga Falls even exist anymore? It's somewhat demoralizing when your local contacts seem to politely insist that you're subject matter expert on Abaga Falls. I guess they're forgetting that I'm over eight thousand miles and an ocean away...