The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), known locally as Haring Ibon or “King of Birds,” is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. Found only in the Philippines, this magnificent raptor has become a symbol of the country’s rich biodiversity. Yet today, the Philippine eagle is also a stark reminder of how fragile nature can be. Classified as Critically Endangered, the species faces an uncertain future, with estimates suggesting that fewer than 400 breeding pairs remain in the wild. Habitat loss, hunting, and slow reproduction continue to push the species toward extinction. Why the Philippine Eagle Is Endangered The greatest threat to the Philippine eagle is deforestation. Large areas of lowland and rainforest habitats have been cleared for agriculture, logging, mining, and urban development. Eagles depend on vast tracts of forest to hunt and nest. A single breeding pair may require up to 100 square kilometers of territory to survive. As forests shrink and become...

A very peculiar small animal you'll find indigenous in the Philippines is the Philippine tarsier, or scientifically known as Tarsius syrichta. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than an adult men's hand. It lives on a diet of insects and mostly active at night. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao. In their few numbers left, the tarsier might not survive if no action is taken. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat. Many years of both legal and illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture have greatly reduced these forests, and reduced the tarsier population to a dangerously small size. The Philippine tarsier can s...