The Philippine eagle is one of the world’s largest and rarest birds of prey a critically endangered species fewer than 900 adults remain on just for Philippine Islands a top predator of the forest the eagle’s hunting range can cover up to 40 square miles but much of the Philippine forests have disappeared since the 1600s due to logging and human encroachment less than 25% of historical forest remains conservation groups like the Philippine Eagle foundation are studying the Eagles behaviors in an effort to save the species it took four weeks of searching seven filming platforms and five months to capture this rare intimate look at a Philippine eagle nest within the rainforest canopy this young eaglet is beginning its life under the watchful care of its parents philippine eagle pairs mate for life and produce just one egg every two years both parents work together to raise the chick sharing the hunting and feeding duties the parents deliver meals of snakes birds and mammals such as flying lemurs several times per week at around six weeks old the eaglet is learning new skills by about two months old it’s soft down is replaced with feathers and soon it develops its iconic Mane like crest now 15 weeks old the eaglet stretches and flaps its wings practicing for its first flight eaglets fledge or first leave the nest around five months of age but the parents continue providing for the young for another 18 months the juvenile takes bigger and bigger leaps near the nest as it learns to fly [Music] but not without some tumbles philippine eagles often reuse their nest sites each mating season making deforestation and nesting areas a threat to the species survival community-based efforts to protect nesting sites and enforce poaching laws are showing some promising results while the philippine eagle remains critically endangered each successful fledgling brings new possibility [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]
