UK filmmaker calls for donations to Philippine Eagle Foundation amid pandemic

Published Jun 6, 2020, 8:28:59 PM

As the world eases into a new normal amid the COVID-19 crisis, some businesses that rely on visitors are still struggling to sustain themselves — this includes animal conservation sites, a wildlife filmmaker shared. (FILE PHOTO)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 6) — As the world eases into a new normal amid the COVID-19 crisis, some businesses that rely on visitors are still struggling to sustain themselves — this includes animal conservation sites, a wildlife filmmaker shared.

Dan O' Neill, who is also a biologist based in the UK, became interested in the Philippine Eagle after meeting Jayson Ibañez, another expert in the field, from the Philippines. O' Neill has since made a film and started raising funds for the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao.

"[Many] places like Philippine Eagle Center rely almost a huge amount on footfall to fund the operations of the facility," he told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend. "I'm trying to raise money to help those guys out."

O' Neill said the city's Philippine Eagle Center currently houses 81 animals and 31 Philippine Eagles who "are critically endangered and need a lot of help."

With the celebration of Philippine Eagle Week from June 4 to 10, he urged the public to visit the foundation's website or his gofundme campaign to offer money to help the facility.

View this post on Instagram

The only eagle on earth with blue eyes. The great Philippine eagle is one of our planet's most unique, beautiful but sadly endangered animals, with just 400 pairs left in the wild. The work of the @phileaglefdn keeps these animals alive both in the wild and at the Philippine Eagle Center. The only rescue, rehabilitation and conservation breeding facility in the world for these stunning birds. The link in my bio is to our fundraiser to help raise some much needed funds during these times - please check it out and share! This shot I took during the health checks of the 31 eagles at the facility. A process that happens just once a year and can be dangerous, as each eagle must be captured by hand from inside their enclosures. Philippine Eagle Week starts on June 4th - during the week I will be releasing Queen of Birds, our film about one very special eagle so stay tuned for updates! . . . . . . . . . . #philippinestravel #philippines🇵🇭 #philippineeagle #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #earthcapture #bbcearth #wildlife #animalrescue #animalrights #davaocity #davao #nationalbird #blueeyes #birdfreaks #birdwatching #birds #emerald #conservation #philippines #filipino #mindanao #animalovers #rescued #science #biologist #manila #asianwildlife

A post shared by Dan O'Neill (@danowild) on May 24, 2020 at 1:20pm PDT

In his social media, he also shares information on Philippine Eagle, which only has 400 pairs left in the wild.

In the past, O' Neill created projects featuring threatened species including the Bengal tigers of India, jaguars and eagles of the Amazon and the Cat Ba Langur in Vietnam.

Recently, he produced "Queen of Birds," featuring the female Philippine Eagle which was rescued from the ocean in Sarangani Province.

"It was an absolute incredible experience coming over and learning about these fantastic birds and seeing just how amazing they are," he shared. "I'm hoping to inspire people about their conservation."

As the world eases into a new normal amid the COVID-19 crisis, some businesses that rely on visitors are still struggling to sustain themselves — this includes animal conservation sites, a wildlife filmmaker shared. (FILE PHOTO)

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