Girlie, Oldest Philippine Eagle in Captivity, Gets Her Own Senior Citizen and PWD Card

(SPOT.ph) Quezon City has a new senior citizen and person with disability (PWD) cardholder, though she's not exactly the kind you would expect to see lining up for discounts.

On June 4, a majestic Philippine eagle named Girlie received her Senior Citizen and PWD Card from the Quezon City Government as a symbolic recognition of her age and condition. According to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), Girlie is about 46 to 47 years old, making her the oldest known Philippine Eagle in captivity.

The government-issued identity cards seek not only to recognize the female eagle but also to convey a conservation message for the critically endangered species Pithecophaga jefferyi.

“She will not claim discounts on medicine, queue at a government office, or ride public transport. She will not sign forms. She will not know that the ceremony is about her. But the humans around her will. That is the point,” PEF wrote in its feature of Girlie.

“The awarding of Girlie’s Senior Citizen and PWD cards… borrows familiar human language to explain an unfamiliar conservation problem. Many Filipinos understand the dignity owed to elders. Many understand the accommodation owed to persons with disabilities. The ceremony asks them to extend that instinct toward wildlife—not by pretending animals are human, but by accepting that injured, aging and dependent animals also impose duties on society.”

Scanning the QR code on her QCitizen ID will show Girlie’s complete profile, from her rescue and breeding achievements to her transfer to the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC). It also includes other facts about the Philippine eagle.

Girlie also serves Quezon City as an education ambassador, helping visitors learn more about a species that is now difficult to find in the wild. You can see her at the NAPWC in Diliman.

Also read: More and More Philippine Eagles Are Drowning, Here's Why

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that Girlie had outlived the Philippine Eagle's expected lifespan of 30 to 60 years. But before Girlie became Quezon City’s symbolic senior citizen and PWD cardholder, she had already survived a painful start in captivity.

In 1982, Girlie was found with partial blindness from a slingshot injury to her right eye. She was even used as collateral for a P769 loan to a woman in Cagayan de Oro, as reported by PEF.

Luckily, after reports were made to authorities, the Philippine Eagle Research and Nature Center (PERNC) rescued her a few days later on December 22, 1982. Cages cause damage more than one might realize, so she was flown to Davao City for better treatment of her feathers, wings, and bill.

Following her recovery, Girlie was paired with her first love interest named Tsai. This marked a big step for the monogamous species, as it proves that captive pairing and breeding were possible under the foundation's care.

However, DENR would later determine that Girlie was better aligned with conservation work instead. In 2009, Girlie was moved to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, now the Biodiversity Management Bureau.

Today, Girlie is fed once daily and given live prey every two weeks to practice her hunting skills, according to the NAPWC’s veterinarian Dr. Glenn Maguad.

“Age has softened her activity. She now moves less, stays longer on her perch, and on hot days may come down to drink or bathe... She was not raised to be affectionate with keepers. Her care was designed to avoid strong human attachment, especially because of early breeding objectives,” Maguad said.

Girlie's story also comes with a sobering reminder about the species she represents. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the Philippine eagle’s population is decreasing, with an estimated 128 to 924 mature individuals remaining in the wild.

This is why PEF hopes Girlie will be seen not just as an exhibit, but as an individual with a long history: “For conservation, that shift matters. Species are saved by policies, budgets and science; but public support is often moved first by stories.”

Also read: Watch This Philippine Eaglet Grow Up in Real Time