World · Philippines Bureau
Forest fire destroys Philippine eagle nest in Surigao del Norte
A critically endangered Philippine eagle nest in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, was destroyed by forest fire this month, underscoring mounting threats to the country's national bird. The Philippine Eagle Foundation has warned of the "clear and present danger" that wildfires pose to the species' survival.
LSN Philippines ·
The nest, which had been actively used as recently as December 2025, fell victim to the fire that swept through the region. The incident marks a significant setback for conservation efforts aimed at protecting the Philippine eagle, one of the world's rarest and most threatened bird species.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation expressed alarm over the destruction, noting that nesting sites are critical to the species' recovery and reproduction. Each lost nest represents a potential loss of breeding pairs and future generations, making fire prevention and forest management essential to the bird's long-term survival.
The Philippine eagle, designated as the country's national bird, remains critically endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and environmental threats. With only an estimated 400 breeding pairs remaining in the wild, conservation organizations have intensified efforts to protect known nesting areas and monitor populations across the archipelago.
The forest fire in Surigao del Norte underscores the vulnerability of the species to natural disasters and the urgent need for enhanced fire management and habitat protection measures throughout the bird's range in the Philippines.