Note: forwarded message attached.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better friend, newshound, and
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
--- Begin Message ---
Hi all:
Of interest I think; apologies if already posted to OBC group but
missed by me.
Merry Xmas and Best Wishes for the New Year!
Martin Williams
Begin forwarded message:
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Date: December 14, 2007 11:44:44 AM GMT+08:00
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: PEF PR 12142007- DNA studies affirm rarity of RP national bird
>
>
> DNA studies affirm rarity of RP national bird
>
> The countrys national bird, the Philippine Eagle, is one of a kind,
> not
> only because it is found nowhere else, but also since it has a unique
> evolutionary history, clearly distinguishing it from other giant eagles
> once thought of as its immediate family.
>
> At least this is what a recent study of the Philippine Eagles DNA
> suggests.
>
> Scientists from the University of Michigan USA analyzed DNA isolated
> from
> blood samples of Philippine Eagle and those of the Harpy Eagle and
> Crested
> Eagles of the Americas and the New Guinea Harpy Eagle of New Guinea,
> all
> equal heavy weights of the bird world. All of the last 3 giants named
> are
> close relatives as revealed by DNA sequences, but only remotely
> related to
> the Philippine Eagle.
>
> According to Dr. David Mindell of the University of Michigan, the
> Philippine Eagle was once grouped with 5 bird giants (the other two
> being
> the Crowned Eagle and the Solitary Eagle in the Americas) because all
> these species share extremely large size, with female wing-spans
> between
> 1.5 to 2.0 m and female body weights from 6 to 9 kg.
>
> He also said that all of the 5 traditional harpy eagle group members
> live in tropical forests, feeding mainly on medium-sized mammals.
>
> But based on the genetic analyses, the similarities between the
> Philippine Eagle and the other harpies resulted not from kinship but
> from
> convergent change, driven by natural selection for reproductive
> success in
> tropical forests and a shared taste for mammals, Dr. Mindell added.
>
> Amazingly, Mindells team also found that the only distant relatives of
> Philippine Eagles are snake eagles found elsewhere in Southeast Asia
> and
> far Africa. In the Philippines, it is distantly related to the
> featherweight but equally imposing Serpent Eagle, which breeds in this
> country but is also common in Asia.
>
> The study of Dr, Mindells team passed expert reviews and was
> published in
> the scientific journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
>
> The countrys conservation flagship, the Philippine Eagle is
> undoubtedly a
> world celebrity. Dubbed King of Birds, this top forest predator is
> unrivaled by any Philippine wildlife in terms of local and
> international
> publicity and interest.
>
> The famous aviator Charles Lindbergh called it the worlds noblest
> flyer
> to call the world's attention to its troubles. In 2000, famed
> scientist
> E.O. Wilson listed the Philippine Eagle in the Hundred Heart Beat Club
> -
> animals likely to become extinct in the near future.
>
> But all the fame and publicity has not spared the species from
> endangerment. Its population status remains precarious as recent
> estimates
> suggest that there may be 500 or fewer pairs of them left in the wild.
>
> Sadly, eagles are still losing the forests which they cannot live
> without.
> Barely 3 % of the countrys old growth forest remains, most of them
> threatened by expanding agriculture, illegal logging and mining.
>
> Many eagles are also still being shot or trapped, either for food, out
> of
> despair over livestock allegedly lost to nesting eagles, or out of
> plain
> curiosity and ignorance.
>
> In the face of deforestation and continued persecution, the future of
> our
> national bird remains bleak.
>
> According to Dennis Salvador, Philippine Eagle Foundation Executive
> Director, the recent finding of Dr. Mindells team definitely will not
> save the eagles overnight, but can be another compelling reason why
> Philippine Eagles need to be saved.
>
> They are a unique and priceless component of the natural heritage not
> only of the Philippines but also of the world he added.
>
> DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, the material of
> inheritance. It is made of chemicals which provide the instructions
> influencing how organisms should look and behave. Ask why a dog looks
> and
> acts like a dog, and humans not as chimpanzees, and you will find that
> the
> DNA is behind that.
>
>
> Jayson C. Ibaňez
> Field Research Coordinator
> Philippine Eagle Foundation
>
>
www.drmartinwilliams.com - inc article on Phil eagle conservation
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
This group is run in association with the Oriental Bird Club. To find out more
about the Club and its conservation work, and to become a member, please visit
www.orientalbirdclub.org
Yahoo! Groups Links
--- End Message ---
