A JUVENILE Pinsker’s hawk-eagle rescued by a farmer early this week in Magpet, North Cotabato was released back to the wild, an official said Thursday.

Forester Rosie Camiguing, community chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected and Wildlife Unit, said the raptor lost its ability to take flight when found on Monday at a farm in Barangay Amabel, town of Magpet.

“The unidentified farmer had fed and taken care of the raptor for about a day, enabling it to regain its energy,” Camiguing said.

Camiguing added that the farmer brought the bird to the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Magpet the following day.

The Pinsker’s hawk-eagle, also known as the Philippine hawk-eagle or Mindanao hawk-eagle, is a bird of prey in the family of Accipitridae.

Dr. Mylene Reniedo, Magpet municipal veterinarian, said that upon inspection, the hawk-eagle is found to be healthy and ready to be sent back to its natural habitat.

She said it has a length of 63 centimeters, a wingspan of 125 centimeters, and weighs 1.2 kilograms.

The bird was turned over to the Community and Environment and Natural Resources Office of Matalam last Wednesday and was released on the same day.

Data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature indicated that the adult population of the endangered Pinsker’s hawk-eagle is only around 600 to 800 in the wild.

Magpet is situated at the foot of Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak where hawk-eagles thrive.