Episode 51: Apayao, home of the Philippine eagle in Luzon

Conservationists and the local government recently inaugurated the Apayao Biosphere Reserve Research Center, which will support ecological studies and knowledge sharing in the area, two years after Apayao was named as the Philippine’s fourth biosphere reserve.At the heart of these efforts is the conservation of the Philippine eagle. More than 10 years have passed since an active nest was found in the province for the first time. Conservation work not only focuses on the species, but requires generation of research and painstaking community work.Rappler’s environment reporter Iya Gozum speaks with Dr. Jayson Ibañez, director of operations at the Philippine Eagle Foundation, about their project, which aims to make Apayao a thriving habitat for the Philippine eagle.