ICONIC. ‘Girlie’, a Philippine Eagle rescued as a juvenile in 1982, perches inside her enclosure at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center decades after injuries left her unable to survive in the wild. Now in her mid-40s, the aging raptor has outlived the species’ typical lifespan, becoming a symbol of decades of Philippine conservation efforts. | Photo courtesy of DENR
MANILA – A Philippine Eagle rescued as a juvenile in the early 1980s has surpassed the typical lifespan of its species in captivity, becoming a rare living benchmark of how far, and how long, Philippine conservation has had to work to keep its most iconic bird alive.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the Philippine eagle named “Girlie” is now in her mid-40s, outliving the expected lifespan of the Philippine Eagle.
“Girlie” was rescued in 1982 after a slingshot injury left her with a damaged wing and blindness in one eye, and has since lived under human care.
READ: Raptor rescued in Leyte is white-bellied sea eagle
