MANILA: A Philippine Eagle chick hatched via artificial insemination has died, an avian conservation foundation has announced, in a fresh setback for one of the world’s largest and most critically endangered raptors.

Habitat loss and ruthless hunting have caused a rapid decline in the number of Philippine Eagles, the national bird of the archipelago country.

The hatching of “Chick Number 30” last month briefly stirred hope that science and conservation could save the forest-dwelling raptor species, but expectations were soon cruelly dashed.

“This heartbreaking loss is a solemn reminder of how delicate chick-rearing can be and how critically endangered species are particularly vulnerable,” the Philippine Eagle Foundation said in an undated statement on its website.

A product of artificial insemination, the 17-day-old male chick, which died on Friday, had been the first successful hatchling in the new facility. Complications from a condition known as “yolk sac retention” were the possible cause of death, the statement said.

The condition, common in poultry farms, indicates the entry of bacteria through incubating eggshells, or chick exposure to bacteria after hatching.

Philippine Eagles, known for their sumptuous head plumage and a 2-metre (seven-foot) wingspan, are difficult to mate, with some even killing unwanted suitors.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2024