Philippine Eagle Geo Memorialized at the National Museum

The taxidermied specimen of Geothermica, or Geo, the Philippine Eagle, was unveiled at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Manila last June 5, World Environment Day. The event commemorated Geo's contribution as a conservation ambassador and also served as a reminder of the importance of collaborative efforts to prevent the extinction of this species.

Geo was one of two Philippine Eagles that were on loan to the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore since 2019. The other bird is Sambisig or Sam, apparently still alive at the time of this writing.

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Geo passed away last September 7, 2023 from a severe lung infection. He was hatched back in 2004 at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao, making him 19 years old at the time of death.

In an interview with Rappler, Philippine Eagle Foundation official Jayson Ibañez explained that sending eagles to Singapore was a way to ensure their survival. He noted that concentrating all the eagles in one facility, such as having 36 Philippine eagles in Davao City, could lead to a devastating outcome if a disease like bird flu were to occur, potentially wiping out the entire population.

Geo’s taxidermy could be found at the museum’s Shell Philippines Centennial Upper Courtyard.

Ibañez, meanwhile, mentioned plans to send another eagle to replace Geo as Sam’s partner in Singapore.

Before Geo, another Philippine Eagle, Tinuy-An, was being displayed at the same museum since 2014. Tinuy-An was released at Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon in 2008 and was to be paired with another eagle released into the wild named Kagsabua. However, Kagsabua was shot dead that same year by a farmer who was unaware of the eagle species’ endangered status.

According to GMA Network’s virtual tour of the NMNH, nine out of ten eagle deaths from 2008 to 2015 were caused by guns.

Philippine law punishes the killing of endangered species with six to ten years jail time and a fine of P100,000 to P1 million. The Philippine Eagle remains on the list of endangered species in the country.