From the Midwest redneck author of "The Rooster Crows at 4am!," "Lizard Poop!," and "The Philippines Expat Advisor"
Eagle Killer’s Feeble Fine Ruffles Filipinos’ Feathers
A Philippines farmer, Bryan Balaon, 26, shot and ate one of the world's rarest eagles. Conservationists slammed the man's P100,000 ($2,300) fine calling it "pathetic." The guy's "slap on the wrist" was the lowest punishment prescribed by the law. He could have been sentence to a 12-year prison term and a one million peso fine.
To top it off, the man's conviction was the FIRST case brought under this law, the 2001 Wildlife Act. So typical of the Philippines, I thought when I read this. There may be laws on the books and regulations enacted, but the ENFORCEMENT of those laws is an ENTIRELY different matter.
The moron killed the Philippine eagle, or Pithecophaga jefferyi, found only in the country's vanishing forests. As reported in the Gulf Times, it is the world's largest eagle and is critically endangered with just 90-250 pairs left in the wild according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
It was not the first time the bird had fallen into the wrong hands. In 2006 the Philippine government handed the bird to the Philippine Eagle Foundation for rehabiliation after seizing it from a man who had shot it down. The idiot kept is as a caged pet with a shotgun pellet still lodged in its skull.
After rehab the eagle was fitted with a radio transmitter and it was released back into the wild on Mount Kitanglad in the south of the country in March 2008. Four months later the bird was shot dead, cooked and eaten by Balaon. The foundation discovered the crime by tracking the transmitter which was buried at the bottom of a ravine.
Philippine Eagle Foundation president Dennis Salvador stated the following: "The victim is our national bird, our national heritage. I feel that we lost an opportunity here to send an important message against poachers and other people who commit crimes against nature."
I've seen bald eagles soaring and bisons roaming in Yellowstone National Park. I've witnessed bighorn sheep butting heads in Glacier National Park. I've laughed at prairie dogs yelping in South Dakota's Badlands. I have a sincere and deep appreciation for all wildlife.
Here's the closer. If the eagle killer can't pay his fine, he will go to jail. However, the court did not set any deadline for payment! It's more fun in the Philippines? Not if you're an endangered species.
They should make a public spectacle of this moron for killing the National Bird of their country, film it, and make it a mandatory viewing for students once a year, every year, through the 8th grade.
Good idea, Randy. I honestly can’t believe that the law was passed in 2001, and this is the first conviction in 2012. Only in the Philippines.
That is a shame …
Very sad, Gary.
I’m sure nobody kills eagles outside of extremely rural areas and therefore it is never known. It’s kinda like killing an elephant for their tusks or a rhino for it’s horn. You’re not going to brag to the neighbors. It’s an undocumented crime.
Your comment prompted me to dig into the story some more, Randy, and I’ve done an update on it. The bird had been captured before by some moron that kept it as a pet after shooting him down and wounding him. The Philippine Eagle Foundation discover the bird (the same one killed and eaten by the farmer in this story) and fitted him with a transmitter. The transmitter was discovered at the bottom of a ravine. Four months after being released as a pet, our article’s bonehead killed the eagle.
Rather then a dunk tank, they should put this guy in a cage and have people shoot him to see how he likes it. It’s a shame people don’t appreciate the animals in the wild.
Good idea, Art! I think you’re onto to something. I’d be willing to take a shot at the moron.
Maybe the moron needs a transmitter planted in him. Something that could give him a weekly reminder of sorts.
Dave,
Hopefully it will make a comeback like the Bald Eagle did so it can get off the endangered list. What a beautiful bird! Have a nice day.
Hi Dave,
I thought I already read this in the news last year? Well, I’m one of those people who are really wondering are those eagles really endemic in the Philippines? What I mean is, why can’t they just fly off to another place like in Sabah, Malaysia or Indonesia which are nearest to Mindanao? They could just fly off, re-group and re-populate and come back another day (if it wants to) lol. This sounds like a stupid question but it’s always on my mind.
Two different instances, I have seen eagles? (or some sort of large raptors) being abused in the Philippines. They first time was one being carried around the streets of Quiapo in Manila about 25 years ago. Another time a few years ago, near Tacloban, one was kept in a dirty small cage. When I asked the helper of the small resort where it was at about it, he said there used to be two, but one died a few months before. The owner had no excuse about being hungry, she was a rich woman.
this is awful! didn’t he know that the eagle is our national bird? goodness–there should be a massive info or something to educate everyone about endangered species in the Phils.
ops got a slip there–not national bird–just really affected by this!
I was struck by the beauty of the bird, also, PapaDuck. Until this story I had never heard of this eagle. I honestly don’t see the amount of birds here that I saw back in Illinois where we also have an enclave of eagles. Starved Rock State Park along the Illinois River is a good place to watch them.
Could have been in the news last year, Jonathan. I just saw the story about the eagle killer’s conviction a few days ago. The Philippine Eagle Foundation has some interesting information about the eagle and states that the eagle is known to be geographically restricted to the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao and endemic to the Philippines as you stated. But for what reason? Don’t know. If I was that smart, guess I would not have spent 30 years at AT&T, my former employer.
Sad to hear about those cases of abuse, Rob. There is absolutely no excuse for such mistreatment. I remember my wife telling me about the monkeys that used to roam Guimaras where she’s from. Never saw one in the three years that we have been here in the jungle areas. My wife says that people have sold them to outsiders for pets. Very sad.
Acutally, Mayet, you were correct. The 1995 Republic Act No. 6147 declared the Philippine eagle as the national bird.
I agree with you, Mayet. I don’t know how effective a national program to educate the people would be, but it would be worth a try.
You don’t see a lot of seagulls here in Mindanao. They have all be killed and eaten. That is OK with me. Seagulls in Michigan are just rats with wings.
Bald eagles really made a come back in Michigan. DTT killed most of them off and that may be the case here also. DTT makes the egg shells soft and the chicks don’t hatch. There is a nice place to watch Philippine eagle at Mount Apo. They are protected there but unsure if the flock is growing. It takes years to bring the birds back. Humans killed them off and it takes humans to bring them back.
Don’t see many over here in Iloilo or Guimaras, Gary. “Rats with wings.” I like that.
Let’s hope the eagles can make a comeback at Mount Apo, Gary. If I’m ever in Mindanao, I would love to see that flock.