A wounded brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) or red-backed sea eagle that was rescued on Saturday near the Padsan River in Barangay San Antonio, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte is now under the custody of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office here for safekeeping.

According to Eugene Santos, head of the Wildlife Division of the DENR, the stray raptor will be turned over to the Fort Ilocandia Bird Sanctuary on Monday.

While strolling by the river at around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dyrel Navales and James Lorens Pinuela, both 16 years old and residents of the said village, saw the stray raptor that appeared to be weak.

“It’s our first time to see a bird like that. Because it was not moving, we managed to get closer and we found out he couldn’t fly because his right wing was broken,” Navales said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Saturday.

Worried that the bird would die without proper treatment, the boys informed their friends and posted the bird’s condition on social media, hoping it would reach concerned government authorities.

After learning about the discovery of the injured raptor, Police Senior M/Sgt. Noel Abad, who happened to be near the area that time after leading a tree-planting activity, volunteered to pick up the bird and delivered it to the DENR office in this city.

Based on their inspection of the raptor’s features, local authorities established that it was a “young brahminy kite.”

The Fort Ilocandia bird sanctuary is the only wildlife rescue center in Ilocos Norte, which seeks to secure, protect and rehabilitate all wildlife species, such as those that are turned over, abandoned, surrendered or confiscated in the province.

The DENR reminded the public not to capture any wildlife species if they are in good condition and let them live in their natural habitat. But if they are injured, they must be turned over to the nearest DENR office to ensure their well-being. (PNA)