The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) has confirmed that Riley, the eagle who made headlines earlier this year for being the first-ever documented unassisted natural hatching, died from metabolic bone disease and a possible infection.
“A necropsy found signs of metabolic bone disease and a possible infection,” the PEF said in a statement posted on social media following the eagle’s death on April 16.
The Foundation noted that Riley was raised using the same protocols as their other healthy eagles. In light of the findings, they are now reviewing their current practices. “The Foundation is currently reevaluating its health and nutrition programs to prevent another incident,” it added.
Riley hatched on January 16 and had been celebrated as a milestone in the conservation efforts of the critically endangered Philippine eagle, also known as the monkey-eating eagle. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, only about 400 pairs remain in the wild.
