The raptor named Pag-asa or Hope was hatched in 1992 at a sanctuary run by the Philippine Eagle Foundation. - AFP
MANILA, Jan 8 (AFP): The first Philippine eagle bred in captivity in an effort to save one of the world's most endangered birds has died from infections, conservationists said Friday.
The raptor named "Pag-asa" or "Hope" was hatched in 1992 at a sanctuary run by the Philippine Eagle Foundation on the outskirts of the southern city of Davao.
Pag-asa would have turned 29 next week.
The Philippines' national bird, known for its elongated nape feathers that form into a shaggy crest, has seen its population devastated by the destruction of rainforests and hunting in the archipelago.