The Philippine eagle, Pithecophaga jeffereyi, is the national bird of the Philippines. It is called by different names: Haribon (king of birds), monkey-eating eagle, and banog (a local name). It is only found (endemic) in four Philippine islands, namely, Samar, Leyte, Luzon, and Mindanao. It is among the rarest and critically endangered species of raptors in the world.

It holds the title as the world’s largest eagle in terms of length. An adult female Philippine eagle has 3.36 ft average length while the shorter male adult has 3 ft average length. Although their wings are shorter compared to Steller’s Sea eagle, Wedge-tailed eagle, and Martial eagle, they are broader and have the largest surface area necessary for powerful flights. Average weight for the female is 7 kg while for the female is 5 kg.
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The magnificent Javan hawk-eagle, Nisaetus bartelsi, is endemic to the island of Java, Indonesia (Strange, 2001). The species is endangered, with varying estimates of over 600 individuals or 270 to 600 pairs remaining in the wild (BirdLife International). The fact that the Javan hawk-eagle is Indonesia’s national bird should be sufficient stimulus to protect the species, but it remains vulnerable to habitat degradation and trafficking.

The symbol of Indonesia’s state ideology, known as Pancasila, is a mythical bird called the Garuda. Because of the likeness of the Javan hawk-eagle to the mythical Garuda, it was named as Indonesia’s National Rare/Precious Animal in 1993 by former President Soeharto (Wildlife Extra). Given this celebrated status of the Javan hawk-eagle, it would seem that protection of the species would be guaranteed, but unfortunately the opposite is true; the increased attention drawn to the species has resulted in an increased demand for it on the black market.
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Despite being one of the most threatened species on the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN)’s red list, the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) is recovering in Spain. The species has undergone an increase from 38 pairs in 1974 to 253 in 2008, data viewed as hopeful by the scientists who carried out the demographic study on the Iberian Peninsula. “This study shows that the species has recovered and has responded well to conservation initiatives. Although it has been known for a long time, the study shows once again that this species is highly affected by changes in adult survival rates”, Santi Mañosa, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the University of Barcelona, tells SINC.

Some of the most important reasons behind the failure of the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) to increase its numbers have been premature adult deaths resulting from electrocution on electricity lines and the consumption of poisons used to control predators.
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South of Eureka Springs, Arkansas and not far from Rogers, Arkansas, War Eagle Cavern provides visitors a chance to tour a cavern in a nearly natural state. War Eagle Cavern is located in Northwest Arkansas on Beaver Lake. The cavern may be reached by both land and water. Highway 12, a scenic state highway, leads visitors by road through the curves of the scenic Ozark Mountains. The visitor who is inclined to spend time on the water may boat on Beaver Lake to Devil’s Gap Inlet and follow signs to the War Eagle Cavern Docks.
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Imagine a room decorated with unconventional objects of art, such as a calf leg and a rabbit spine. The finishing touches include a number of large, artistically placed feathers. Is this the latest episode of a home makeover show? Nope. Just the real-life nest of a fastidious California Condor named Paxa. One of 19 condor residents at the Oregon Zoo, Paxa is part of a pivotal program to save the California Condor from extinction.

In 1987, only 17 condors remained in the wild. The San Diego Zoo was the first breeding program to undertake the urgent mission of saving this bizarre-looking bird. In 2001, the Oregon Zoo became the fourth partner in the California Condor Recovery Program (CCRP). With the 2003 arrival of condors at the Oregon Zoo and the birth of a chick six months later, a century-long void in Oregon-born condors came to an end.
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