A Philippine eagle. Photo courtesy of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Davao Region
MANILA, Philippines — Scientists found in a study that the Philippine eagle has exceptionally low genetic diversity, making the critically endangered species fragile and more likely to face extinction when confronted by disease, environmental changes or other threats.
Led by Dr. Cynthia Saloma of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, the study found that Philippine eagles are highly similar to one another genetically, meaning they share nearly the same set of genes.
The researchers said: “The danger is that when there’s little variation, the species struggles to adapt to changes. For example, if a new disease appears or the environment shifts, most eagles would react the same way and have the same capacity to adapt — and if they’re vulnerable, the whole population could be wiped out.”
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